Lost and Found

[Trillian]

It was awful, and Vincent finally understood that Owen's harsh words were not aimed at his sire, but at himself.

"Don't blame yourself for my shortcomings," Vincent said, still holding Owen tightly for fear his fledge would pull away at such words.  "If you feel like you're overwhelmed and failing, that's my fault.  I'm supposed to make this transgression the most painless.  I... failed you tonight.  I put myself before you, because you were doing so well that I forgot what it was like for you.  It's been so long ago, forgive me Owen.  I love you, and I shouldn't have repaid your strength with distraction.  Give me another chance.  I'll do a better job of it," he pleaded, feeling callous and manipulative for having turned his situation with Kelly around on Owen, who'd taken the brunt of it and pulled it into himself.  "We're both stumbling around with something new."

[Existentially Odd]

Owen shook his head, automatically patting Vincent's back to soothe him.

"No," he said, pulling back to look intently into Vincent's eyes.  "You don't need another chance.  We both need to do better.  We probably... I don't mean to make excuses, I just... I didn't want to keep harping on about the thirst, I try to fight it, really I do but it just... makes me want to scratch my eyeballs out sometimes just so I can pop them and squeeze some more blood into me somehow," he laughed weakly, wishing it was a joke and that he hadn't thought exactly that, at times.

"I thought you'd be able to feel it, anyway, and if I went on and on about it, you'd get annoyed.  I'm sorry it made me ignore you, I do love you and, back there, when you were kissing me... that was really nice," he admitted with a hopeful smile, cupping Vincent's cheek.  "I can't promise you anything earth-shattering, but I'd really like to go home and take that break you offered?"

[Trillian]

Vincent was filled with nothing but love and admiration for Owen.  His lover, his partner, his fledge.  He'd had a hand in creating this, and it was so wonderful and so beautiful and so innocent that it hurt his heart just looking at the blonde.  He was putting Owen through hell; so many hoops to jump through, so many tests to pass, so much training to endure.  It was time he eased off and gave Owen a less regimented schedule, to share him with others, and to keep him sane.  They had eternity together, after all.

"Yes, let's go home," he agreed, and knew they would be better for it.