Vin and Coop's Apartment

[Vinnie Giovanetti]

Vinnie and his boyfriend Cooper Knoxville share this apartment. Its Cooper's, really, but Vinnie doesn't wanna live on campus. So they share. Like bros. Woohoo.

The couch is pullout, there's about three different gaming systems under the TV, the fridge is stocked full of beer, pizza and left over macaroni. They live like college kids.. because that's all Coop has ever known. Its a pretty great place, I know.

[Vinnie Giovanetti]

It was early. Well, ten in the morning. But for Vinnie Giovanetti, that was an early hour to be awake. He was used to sleeping til at least twelve. So this was weird. And you could tell he was upset by how he'd been shuffling around all morning only grunting at people. He'd gotten out of his bed at about nine, rudely awoken by Cooper slamming closet doors and angrily stomping through the hall for reasons Vinnie still doesn't understand because Coop left before he could ask.

Rather slowly, Vinnie stirred a pot of macaroni. It wasn't the best choice for breakfast, but lately Vinnie had been eating like he was pregnant. If he had a taste for it, he just ate it. No matter what time it was or anything. After ripping open the small bag of powdered cheese, Vinnie tipped it into the pan and watched it melt over the steaming noodles. He smiled and snorted as he started to stir again.

He was expecting Scott. They'd planned a bro day maybe three days ago so that was really the only reason Vinnie was up at such an early time. He'd tried to dress himself.. but he'd only managed a pair of baggy jeans and a belt. The only reason he had socks on his feet was because they were there from the night before. No shirt was in sight as he lazily stirred the wooden spoon back and forth in the pot.

[Vinnie Giovanetti]

Vinnie jumped when he heard the knock. Dropping the wooden spoon, he swore under his breath as he squatted to pick it up and stuck it back in the pot without thinking to wash it. "Fuck.. germs.." he mumbled, staring at the pot for a moment before remembering that someone was at his door. As quickly as he could (which was basically normal walking speed), Vinnie hurried to the door and opened it to find Scott standing there. "Mooooorning," he greeted the boy, swinging his arms out signalling for Scott to enter.

He was so horribly out of it.

"I hope you brought me coffee because I can't see a fucking thing," he joked, though he was semi serious and was suddenly considering brewing up some fresh coffee.

[Vinnie Giovanetti]

"Holy fucking yes," Vinnie moaned as he grabbed the coffee and sipped it rather forcefully. It was hot, and he cringed, but continued drinking anyway. He figured the burning of his throat would only wake him up faster. When Scott set his bag on the floor, Vinnie immediately grabbed it up and walked it to the couch. "If you leave it there.. something will probably happen to it. Wouldn't wanna ruin such a fine bag," he said, taking another sip.

When Scott commented on the smell, Vinnie mimicked the way he'd sniffed the air. It did sort of smell like socks.. but the apartment always smelled like socks. What else do you expect from two teenage boys? "Its supposed to be macaroni.." Vinnie said, following Scott to the kitchen. "But I don't actually know what I put in the pot. Or what Coop had in the pot before me.." Sticking his face over the steaming pan, Vinnie inhaled. It smelled like noodles and fake cheese.. and a bit of burning something. Burning butter? He wasn't sure. So he stirred it. "I don't supposed you want any..?" he asked, almost positive Scott would say no.

[Vinnie Giovanetti]

"Yea man its all right and everything," Vinnie said, stabbing the wooden spoon into the mess of cheesy noodles. He shrugged and picked up the pot, then started spooning it into a bowl. "It might smell but I'm hungry."

After finishing the preparation of his bowl, Vinnie took a forkful and joined Scott on the counter. "So whatcha wanna do?" he asked through a stinky mouthful. It really didn't taste bad at all.. it just smelled for some reason. Cooper was probably the cause. You could never trust him in the kitchen.

[Vinnie Giovanetti]

The End.

Vinnie stood quietly by the front door. He hadn't even fully walked into the apartment since he'd gotten there, having been stopped immediately by a fuming (and rather drunken) Cooper. "Coop.. I just had to go get a pizza for Esme. Your car is fine," Vin was trying to reason, his hands up before him trying to calm Cooper down. But Cooper was having none of it.

"I told you not to use my car! Its my dad's and its his pride and joy! Now it smells like pizza-shit!" Cooper yelled, taking a step forward which caused Vinnie to take a step back. Cooper, noticing, smiled and tilted his head. "You're afraid of me, Vin?" he asked in an almost sweet tone.

Vinnie dropped his hands slowly, cautiously.

Shaking his head softly, Cooper closed his eyes. "You're afraid of me," he said, nodding to himself. But just when Vinnie thought he'd gotten through to him, Cooper stepped forward again. Then again. His pace was quickening until he came into a full on run from the opposite end of the apartment in Vinnie's direction. Hit after hit, Cooper took Vinnie to the ground and straddled his chest, firing off full blows to Vinnie's face.

Only twice did Vinnie manage to speak. It was Cooper's name he tried to yell, but each one was cut short with a fist to the mouth. When Cooper finally pulled back, Vinnie didn't move.

"You're a fucking bitch," he spat at Vinnie who was folding in on himself. When Cooper stood, Vinnie's legs immediately pulled to his chest as he rolled to his side. He moaned out of pain and looked up to Cooper who was walking away, wiping his hand across his forehead.

"I'm sorry, Coop. I won't take your car again," Vinnie squeaked, just as Cooper turned around to look at him. Vinnie flinched, and Cooper laughed.

"Fucking right you won't," he said. "Get up. Get up!"

But Vinnie didn't move. Not only could he not move, but he was far too afraid to. So he didn't. He kept in on himself, arms and legs pulled tight up to his chest and cheek rested against the floorboards. He could feel something dripping down his face from his nose, and his jaw felt like it had been moved three inches out of place.

"Get up!" Cooper yelled again just before bending down to grab Vinnie by the shirt and pull him to his feet. For a short guy, Cooper was pretty strong. And it only showed more when he pushed Vinnie up against the hall wardrobe, knocking one of its doors from its hinges.

"Coop stop!" Vinnie tried through heavy breaths. "Cooper! Please!"

But he didn't stop. Ram after ram after ram, Cooper continued to push Vinnie up against the wardrobe. Vinnie could feel the shelves digging into his back, every other blow forcing one of them between his ribs and sending a piercing pain up his spine. Esme was right, he'd been beaten before. But not like this. This was different. And though Vinnie knew it usually had something to do with alcohol, he'd never smelt so much on Cooper's breath before.

"Cooper please! Please, I love you!"

And he stopped.

Cooper's face read nothing more than shock as he stood there, fingers grasped around Vinnie's shaking arms. His mouth had dropped ever so open as he stared at Vinnie. But there was a blank stare about his eyes. There was no sense of regret. He seemed.. confused. "You what?" he hissed, pushing Vinnie once more against the now severely broken wardrobe. "I'm done with you Vinnie," he said in a tone that was far too pleased for someone breaking up with their boyfriend.

Vinnie let out a quiet cry. "Coop.." he said softly, sadly, as Cooper dropped his head. "Cooper don't-"

Another shot to the mouth. And that one sent Vinnie's head back, hitting into a shelf, which knocked him unconscious to the ground.

Not ten minutes later, Vinnie awoke to an upside down world. He was slung over Cooper's shoulder and heading down a flight of stairs. Cooper was moving in an awfully strange way; he took each step so carefully, his hair ruffling against Vinnie's pants as his head swiveled from side to side, watching for people. The lights were off in the halls, spare for the few emergency plug-ins that ran along the base of each step. "Coop.." Vinnie tried, but his voice was nearly gone. It was raspy and sore and when he coughed, he felt a sort of flemmy liquid hit the top of his mouth from his throat. It tasted like blood.

"Shut the fuck up," Cooper hissed quietly, yet forcefully.

To avoid anything else, Vinnie did as he was told and instead focused on the various sore parts of his body. Maybe it hadn't been just ten minutes.. how long had he been out? And how long had Cooper continued to hit him? He wasn't sure, and before he could think about it, the upside down world was being turned right side up again as Cooper pulled him from his shoulder. Vinnie tried to stand, but his knees were week so he fell back against the wall.

"You need to leave," Cooper said very seriously, not a hint of emotion passing over his face.

Vinnie frowned and tried to look at him, but his vision was incredibly blurred. "Coop.." he forced that, his throat practically burning as he did so.

But Cooper put his hand up. "Get out," he said, still very flat with any emotion at all. Vinnie raised a hand, but Cooper was quick to grab it and flip Vinnie out the front door. It was raining which only made Vinnie slip down the two front steps, landing on his hands and knees. And when he looked up, Cooper was already gone from the doorway.