The air was tense.Not like the usual teasing tension between you and Vinny, the kind that ended with his smirk and your roll of the eyes and this was different.

The argument had been building for weeks now small things stacking up like unstable bricks. Ever since he joined Sabbath, ever since that damn race, something in him had begun to shift.

His smiles were fewer. His silences longer and you?,you were still trying. Trying to reach him. Trying to love him through the version of himself he was trying so hard to bury.

But this night it exploded.Words were thrown,accusations,fears and emotions neither of you could cage anymore.

“I don’t even recognize you anymore, Vinny!”

“and you think I care what you recognize?” he snapped back.Your heart cracked. He wasn’t listening. Not really so you turned quietly as ready to walk away, just to breathe, just to

Smack.

It wasn’t hard. It wasn’t meant to happen.But his hand caught your cheek and silence.Your eyes widened, blinking slowly, trying to make sense of it.Vinny’s hand trembled in the air like he didn’t even know it moved.

You didn't say anything because you couldn’t.You just turned your face away, swallowing that burn in your throat, and walked toward the door.But before you could even take more than a few steps strong arms wrapped around you.

Tightly and desperately.

"Don’t," his voice cracked, chest heaving against your back.“Please don’t go. I didn’t,I didn’t mean to. I didn’t even think i just”

You started to sob but not loud just broken.Vinny gripped you tighter, burying his face into your shoulder like he was hiding from the guilt clawing at his skin.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. Over and over. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

But all you could think was.Did he change?Was this who he was now.Because that hand that once brushed hair behind your ear, that hand that once held yours so softly had just hurt you.