Its pride month and I just remembered making this post but like somewhat detail into this.
I remember doing a second playthrough of HWU and I was like looking into a romantic lense bc I like giving some of my oc's love, and I have always thought of Ethan being an ALMOST perfect candidate bc of how chill and yet professional he acts with the MC but I thought that it might make Vincent and him a bit TOO similar so ehh. Then I reached Crash's dialogue and a lightbulb idea came up.
And I couldn't believe I almost overlooked how silly their interactions are. I firmly believe that Vincent considered Ethan was bullshitting when he said they were gonna have Crash in the music video debut, and I think for a short while Vincent just assumed Crash was a bit too out there for Vincent and btw, HAD TO BAIL HIM OUT?? But I think around afterwards when Crash started becoming more cautious when doing risky things and especially thanking Vincent personally for bailing him out is when he starts warming up to Crash.
I think especially during Clash at Sunset is for me when they start becoming more close with each other, talking alot more and when that one quest where Crash couldn't get into HWU bc the stunt program was yknow, not even a thing??? (In my canon its just heavily underfunded and thats why Crash couldn't even risk going to a school without even having the proper equipment for it), I think Vincent realised he was way too deep into this and realised he might've jumpstarted his crush on Crash.
Crash, I think somewhat felt a similar emotion but it was more like gratitude in a way? Crash is definitely a late enrollee.
Anyways, Vincent shoved these feelings down HARD because even though it's okay to like men as man, he just never imagine it for himself and always thought that maybe he wasn't just doing enough to like a woman properly, but Crash was something so thrilling and new to him and the longer he got to know Crash during on or off the set is when he does gradually accept that he likes Crash and likes men.
I think the quest called Crash Another Day? Just the quest where Crash just sorta invites MC into a stunt gig and it turns into this whole plot where Crash should see his worth and that he should be getting equally paid as everyone else on the set and theres this really sweet scene where Crash gets an actual decent paycheck and uses it to invite MC out for lunch at this ramen restaurant and it was just a really sweet moment of them talking of how they encouraged one another and Crash opening up about his feelings and how MC was probably the first person to believe in him the way they do.
That moment is what I think solidified in my canon that Crash realised that he really does like Vincent as more than just a close friend and Vincent just feel his heart melt when hearing Crash say that to him since he never really felt he made any impact other than just being that one director friend. They definitely danced around this for a couple of months because despite how straightforward they are, they can't manage to confess anything and their friend group is TIREDDD.
Around their 2nd years is where they finally confess to each other, well, Crash did because he couldn't not do anything with his feelings in a normal way and decided to pay for a plane to fly over and ask Vincent out that way (ahem the date quest which I hold very dear to my heart) all the while Vincent planned to confess to Crash like maybe next week when it was just them. But the grand gesture Crash did weighed alot more since it immediately won Vincent's heart.
Awkwardness aside, they're genuinely so dorky around each other and so clingy that their friend group teases them ALOT alot. Vincent just shrugs it off because he just likes showing he loves Crash alot but Crash could not be as nonchalant as Vincent as this is his first relationship so he just gives out a flustered answer that he just wants to show he loves Vincent alot.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I havent given them a shipname yet... Uhmmmmm.............. Stunt Director?? I'll think about it