Vaughan was not unaccustomed to mental break downs. They varied from year to year since 'the incident. 

What he was unused to was to come around to someone holding him, rocking him, murmuring in a low rolling voice words of comfort. 

It wasn't Reko didn't try.

And that Morrowe was not supportive.

Or Gregory full of cheerful antidotes. 

But something about just being physically held, surrounded by muscled arms, with broad shoulders under his suddenly too small hands 'did' something to him. 

He pulled away, a shuddering breath releasing as he did so and he sniffed wishing for his handkerchief. 

Dark eyes looked unblinking to him.

"I," his throat clenched and he found himself unable to elaborate. The eyes where heavy on his own, pulling at strings he hadn't been aware of wrapping around his heart.

Another shuddering breath and then," I- I apologize for that. . . I-," he broke off with a nervous laugh, pushing back as he felt his heart begin to pick up speed. 

As if he was some injured horse ready to bolt, Myles relaxed his posture, his whole form seemed to radiate 'peace' and he said in a lowly voice," Vaughan. There is nothing to apologize for. If anything. . . "

Dark eyes burned even darker, the fires in them changing from some unfamiliar flame to that sparked from anger," It is my fault. I should have. . .we should have brought you here without the pretense that it was just for the boys. God the boys," suddenly Myles deflated. Somehow seeing that normally so strong figure falter and exhaustion wore plainly on his features, Vaughan suddenly didn't feel quite so upset. 

It was as if seeing the shift in Myles made a shift in him happen as well.

"I don't mind the boys," dark eyes flicked up to him lightning fast, a sort of dubious look overtaking the strong features.

"No really," he wiped the back of his nose with a shaky arm, blinking his eyes as he sat back and made himself a bit more relaxed on the floor sniffing," I- I rather like the boys. Good lads they are. . . and. . . I have not been doing best by Xavier - well. I do not have many friends. . . he doesn't have many playmates and I am so glad that we are here, now, for him to make some friends. "

He trailed off, eyes now one the ground as he pulled at his sleeve, no longer able to look Myles in the eye. 

"You do seem to be. .  .," the words trailed off and he waited for it. Socially inept. Awkward. Poor conversationalist. 

He thought back to their movie nights and mentally cursed- he should have gave more input instead of letting Myles rattle on like a nerd at a con, the way his eyes lit up the smile that pulled at his lips-

Vaughan was pulled from his berating thoughts by the comment ," of a mother hen," and he shot his head up to look to Myles in shock.

"I beg your pardon?!?" he said incredulously," Mother hen?!?"

A slow, small small could be seen at the corners of Myles mouth, very slight. You would have to know to look for the minute change. 

Vaughan honed in on it as if he was the honeybee and Myles the flower full of nectar. 

"Quite," Myles leaned back slightly, looking to Vaughan with something heavy in his gaze that he couldn't quite place.

"Well I find that you hardly would know, after all for all my time being here we have only spent 2 nights alone together," the words sounded wrong coming out, he flushed as they left his mouth but he didn't stop," in fact, I would dare to say you don't know me at all! Reading tabloids aside- they -"

"They don't know you," that heavy look was there still, Myles wasn't backing down," 'I' don't have to spend years with you to know you. You like your coffee bitter, and your tea without milk. But you love sweets- cookies and scones are your favorite. You are surprisingly a good cook- but the mess you make! And your bedroom is not disgusting but disorganized- yet just as in the kitchen I bet you can find every single thing you need among the chaos. You love flowers, and the sun, and spent most the remaining warm days in the rose garden. You love the color orange, from your duffle bag to your favorite sweater with the holes in the sleeves you have it on nearly everything. You care so much for Xavier, and worry about everyone around you to the point that, when it becomes to much, you have to lock yourself away because you don't know how to express this deep concern and love you have."

Vaughan was speechless, eyes wide and mouth in the perfect 'o' shape as Myles said this, and mentally he begged 'oh Myles. Myles how did you ever see so much?' 

"I see you Vaughan," he said and he leaned forward, a softness in his eyes now that the rising passion of his speech passed, it left a burning heat," and I want you to know I am here. I see you are hurting. I understand a hurt like that. You cannot- no one can carry a hurt like that alone."

He flinched back as if the words struck him physically. 

"Vaughan, please-"

He shook his head, standing and forcing a slow deep cleansing breath to enter him. He refused to look to the shades of the window in the corner, blasted white things echoing of bedsheets and monitors with them.

"You- you know nothing!"

"Vaughan, I want to make your stay here as painless as possible. If. . If you wish to move to another part of the estate I will make it so! If you want someone with you- or no one at all- you only need to ask . .if schooling the boys is too much I will find a tutor for their-"

"I 'like' schooling the boys," Vaughan snapped his gaze up with his unintentional snap of his voice. 

Myles shut his mouth, thinning his lips into a tight line as he gazed down with fire in his eyes.

"I do 'not' need to be coddled," he pulled at his sleeve, anger twisitng in him," I am not 'delicate' or 'weak'. I can help the boys- the boys need me. What would Elliot say? He would be hurt! And- and Keaton. I could tell he would be too, even if he would pretend otherwise. No. I need to stay with them. And as I said. It is good for Xavier."

Silence hung between them, and Myles seemed to be gauging his next words very carefully.

"I am pleased you are passionate to stay on as their teacher," he finally said, voice gravely. He opened his mouth, as if to say more, closed it, shook his head and rolled his shoulders.

"Come on then. I must be going. I will have Bradly check on you later. Amellia already gave clearance to no weekly lessons. She was just at breakfast. Was asking about you. "

Something about this felt so wrong to Vaughan, he wanted to reach out, to pull Myles back to him and correct 'something' but he either didn't know or didn't wish to address what that was. 

"Where are you going?" he found himself blurting, any heat in his voice lost as he clenched his hands in front of him, envisioning Myles leaving the estate and never returning. 

Myles half turned, seemed to see something in Vaughans face, and turned his back to him again before answering," There is a lead on to an informant the 'snake' in our midst has been seeing. It is my job to go. . . tie up some loose ends."

The malice in those last words was not imagined and Vaughan shivered. 

"Just you go to those boys and forget it all," Myles said- he sounded angry," you go and as soon as I clean this up you can go back to your cabin in the woods with your flowers and your trees. Then you will not need to concern yourself with the likes of the family business anymore. I will ensure everything is cared for."

Before Vaughan could even conjure up a response to this absurd statement, Myles was stomping out and down the hall, his voice heard in the distance roaring at Kiber to get a move on.

And Vaughan felt a coil of guilt at the idea that Myles would consider that he would just leave with never turning back. 

Followed by fury at the very prospect that the man even dare' think he could not only judge Vaughan so wrongly but also think he could give such orders to him.

"Myles Arya, if you think I am going to just roll over and cry and run all the way home, you have another thing coming," he said aloud to the room, before wiping his face, straightening his sweater, and walking out with his head high, a fire in his own eye lit from the sparks gifted to him by Myles. 

Vaughan very much so was not about to leave, and no thick headed imbecile mafia gangster whatever he was, would dictate as much.

So thinking he made his way to his room, quiet to ensure Xavier continued his nap, and washed up readying for the day.

He had some histories to figure out, and the best persons he figured to question would be Amelia and Bradly.