Head over Heels || brance

XX

Vance did not return that night. Bruce didn't know where he went but it didn't matter to him, the rest of his day was ruined and he didn't hang out with Robin, Finney and Billy long. After the movie, they wanted to go to the arcade and Bruce said no, lying that he had homework to do, instead he laid in his bed, sleeping alone.

He went to bed alone. He woke up alone.

It was Wednesday and all Bruce could think about was that in two days he'd officially be on summer vacation and he wouldn't have to wake up in the mornings. As he went to the washroom to get ready for school, he noticed red circles under his eyes. Had he been crying last night?

He cursed under his breath as he washed his face, but the water hadn't done much to get rid of the sadness that must've sat on his face that night. He decided to just ignore it and go downstairs for breakfast where his family was.

Amy was getting toast for herself and Bruce could smell the scent of strawberries escaping the jam jar. He just grabbed his usual breakfast before sitting at the table, not looking at his parents as he ate in silence.

He had woken up without Vance beside him before, he didn't know why it felt so weird and different now, why he felt sad by it. He wanted to convince himself that he only cried last night out of anger but he didn't even believe that.

"We're going out for dinner tonight, Bruce." Mrs. Yamada spoke but Bruce kept his eyes down. "Would you like to bring Vance?"

"No." Bruce caught himself before he could look up as he heard his fathers voice, it sounded so foreign, he hadn't heard it for a while. "I don't want to be seen in public with him."

Bruce's jaw tensed and he looked up at his father.

"Can you stop?" Bruce mumbled out, his voice even sounding tear ridden. His father looked over at him, his eyebrows furrowed, Bruce could see the lines of years worth of that expression indented in his skin.

"I will say whatever I want about you and that tardy boy." His father snapped. "I will not be out with you two and have the town look at my family with disgust."

"Oh my god, Dad, can you just..." Bruce hesitated, the building anger from last night flooding back into his body. "Can you just fuck off?"

His father and mother stared at him with slightly gaped jaws while Amy just widened her eyes from the counter.

"You can not speak to me like that. See, I knew this boy would rub off on you."

"Well seriously, leave me alone. Why does what I do matter so much to you?!" Bruce was raising his voice and every time he flicked his eyes to his mother he could see her sadden under his gaze.

"Because it embarrasses me, Bruce!"

"Nobody except you cares about who I'm doing, Dad!" His father glared at him again and Bruce watched as his jaw clenched.

"You better not be doing anybody under my roof, so help me if I find out you were doing something in that bedroom with him I will..." he cut himself off.

"You'll what?" Bruce glared at him back, lowering his voice.

His father just stared at him before he got up from his seat and left the room. Bruce looked back down to his cereal, taking a spoonful and shoving it in his mouth.

The kitchen fell quiet but Bruce was feeling a bit better getting all that anger out and maybe he was mostly yelling because of Vance but it was good to yell at his father too.

"Are you okay?" His mother asked, her voice soft as Bruce looked up at her. "You're crying, dear." Bruce gently lifted his hand, touching his cheek which he could feel was wet, he didn't even know he was crying. "Don't listen to your father, you can bring Vance if you want to."