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"It was something that he said, right. Alex had been taking the piss on Hazel, and they were arguing and laughing, but Vince kept staring at me like he could see into my head, right, and he wasn't smiling. I must have been laughing at first, must of been sneering at him, the way you do with a mate. We were all there, all at Via Fossa, and Stuart wasn't around because he'd copped off early with a bloke in from London., and Vince just staring at me with those eyes of his, that I always noticed were sort of nice but never really thought about, d'you know what I mean? Because they're this really intense sort of blue, like the colour of sky in summer when rain stops for awhile and you know it's going to get really hot.

I mean, my eyes are blue, and you'd think it would be just the usual. Vince's eyes. But it wasn't. Not that it was his eyes, that's not got it, it was something that he said. Stuart was gone, and no-one else was paying us any mind, and he says 'You could love someone for real, Nathan. ' And it's in his voice, all deep and that, like he really cares whether I love some poor sod or not. I dunno, I just... I knew he did care.

I think I just laughed, and told him he was a twat. But that's when. I couldn't stop thinking about it. Kept thinking about the way the lights at Via Fossa reflected in his eyes, which is bloody romantic, no? Kept thinking about his voice that time, and the way it sounded like it does when Stuart is off his face and hangs on him. It made me warm, first, then it made me hot. He made me hot, thinking what it'd be like.

Mind you, I knew he'd never shag me, not in a million years. But I kept on thinking about it, just the same. It's because I'm really very lonely, you know. Donna gone, and the rest are all older than me and the young ones; well, a lot of them are like Daz. It's not like it was with Donna. So there am I, thinking that here's a bloke who cares whether I love anyone.

And a 'course I always thought him a sad bastard before, like Stuart calls him. But now I was paying attention, right? So I can see a few things. And dunno why at first, but I can see that everybody loves him. They mostly put up with Stuart, or want to shag him. But everybody loves Vince, once they finally look at him. So I've been fucking thinking about him, and then I'm finally looking at him, I'm really looking at him. I'm surprised, right, I'm completely unhinged. But Vince is dead good-looking! I saw it before, I mean, you do. But he's sexy, as well. He's got the finest arse in Manchester, and here I've been walking around next to it like a dozy prat, never really noticing.

So suddenly I'm noticing everything. I think it was that he was always like one of those lizards that hide right in front of your face, a chameleon. You can't make it out until it moves a little, and then you see it plain as plain even when it goes still again. Even if you try, you can't NOT see it now. That's how it is with Vince. I'm seeing everything. "

Nathan's voice fades away, excited murmuring winding down to silence and sleepy mutters. His companion smiles and yawns, pulling the warm sleek body closer and inhaling the fresh smell of his skin. He knows that Nathan doesn't love him. He knows, in fact, what Nathan may not realize yet; that the boy is in love with someone else. But nights in Manchester are often cold and damp, and Nathan gives off heat like a coal fire. Also, he's a fantastic shag.

All in all, a little listening is a small price to pay. Especially since it’s been a slow week. And it’s better than Coronation Street, anyhow.

~

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