Rippp!

“Again??” Vincent picks up the flower wrapping paper he just ripped and frustratingly tosses it in the recycling bin. A tower of the same brown paper begins to stack on top of each other, very telling of how many times he's tried to wrap these darn flowers.

Vincent holds the naked peonies in his hands and slumps into a chair. A low grumble of exhaust trickles out his throat. He just can't seem to get this right.

At the sound, his precious cat Jojo comes in at the right time. She makes herself comfortable on Vincent's lap which earns her a few scratches behind her ear from him. “You know how I feel, don't you?” Vin begins, talking to his cat like they're a human. “You know what being lovestruck is like. It's already so hard fessing up to a crush. Let alone your roommate? who you talk to everyday??”

Vincent puts the flowers down and picks up Jojo. He proceeds to scream into her big belly like she's a pillow. “Meow.” The cat responds, unfazed. Her distressed owner pulls her from his face and looks at her with sad eyebrows. “That's why I'm doing all of this, buddy. Chocolates, vinyls, skincare. But cupid obviously doesn't want me to give these damn flowers.”

He thinks in his head. Would they even like me back? I mean, they've given me looks before- I think. Maybe I'm just delusional.

Vincent realizes he's daydreaming at the sound of his other cat, Momo, meowing in jealousy of her sister getting all the attention. “Oh, stop. Just wait for them to get back. They'll cuddle you up–”

wait.

Vin (gently) chucks Jojo onto the ground and fumbles for his phone. He turns it on and gawks at the time. 5:01.

Damn Damn Damn!! They said they were coming home by 4:50, but it seemed they were running late. Vincent gets up and grabs the bag full of gifts, frantically trying to find a place to hide them. He stops abruptly, looking at his cats. “Why aren't you guys helping me?” Truth be told, Vin is a little crazy.

After smushing the gift bag into a drawer they never use, he puts his attention onto the peonies splayed out on the table. But right before Vincent can grab them, the door to their apartment unlocks and a familiar face enters his view.

With one swoop, the peonies are picked up and hidden behind his back. “... Did you- uhm, enjoy class?” Vincent gulps, following their line of sight. He was silently making sure they didn't look at the wrapping in the recycling... the petals on the table... Momo scratching at the drawer he hid the gifts....

A nervous smile slowly spreads across Vin's face. I'm fucked.