calling up rebellion [brance]

chapter thirteen: he wasnt broken, he never was

BRUCE LAID HIS head on Vance's lap. It was night still and they were now sat on the soggy grass, though they didn't exactly mind. They had until the sun rose to be together, it was like a clock ticking away their time. It was horrifying and glorious all at once. It's like their own little secret, although they didn't want it to be.

Bruce wanted to proudly hold Vance's hand in his while walking down the street, or to be able to kiss him infront of everybody, or to hug him without anybody - his parents - questioning him, without hating him. It brought tears too his eyes at how he had to hide the boy he was in love with, he hated it. He hated how people perceived Vance, he hated how all everybody saw was this harder outer shell when really he's the kindest boy on the inside. Vance was special, something about him so special in Bruce's heart. That's why he loved Vance, not because of his pretty face or pretty voice. But his heart, his passions, who he is. Bruce loved that, Bruce loved Vance for Vance. Bruce loved him for who he really was, not how people saw him.

Bruce blinked away the tears in his eyes and cupped Vance's cheek to face him, "you're the prettiest boy in the world, you know that?"

Vance had been told he was pretty, or handsome, but never had they felt as genuine as right now. They were always shallow meaningless comments but this time, this time it was the truth. The way Bruce looked at him, the way Bruce smiled so sweetly, everything about him was perfect. Vance knew they only had until sunrise, maybe not even that, but he didn't mind. Not at all, because honestly he never had complaints. 3 hours with bruce was enough for Vance, as long as he was able to hear his voice sweet like caramel, or see his face. Because bruce was genuine, bruce was the realest person towards Vance. Bruce never tried to sugarcoat anything with Vance, he'd never lied. So why would he lie now?

Vance didn't reply, he didn't know what to reply with. But it made him tear up, the way bruce looked at him with all the love in his heart. Tears welled up in his eyes, looking at how kindly bruce smiled up at him. Vance had begun crying, he was crying infront of Bruce for the first time ever but he didn't feel embarrassed, he didn't feel unsafe. He felt okay, this was okay. Crying was okay because bruce was here and bruce was the sweetest most lovable person on the planet. Bruce was caring and sweet, bruce was too good for Vance and Vance hated it. Vance hated how bruce had chosen him, despite his hopes since falling in love with him he hated it.

He hated the fact bruce would always pick him, in a crowd full of people bruce would always choose him. Vance hated it so much it pained his heart, he loathed how much he loved bruce. He loathed how much he wanted bruce, he loathed every aspect of it because bruce deserved more than Vance. Vance didn't deserve bruce at all, he never would, because Vance is mean. Vance is hateful. Vance is rude. Vance is not a good person.

"Vance?" Bruce wiped the tears that fell from his eyes, worry lacing his voice. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm sorry," Vance whispered out, it was hushed in the cold night air, "I'm so sorry bruce."

Bruce sat up, moving his head from Vance's lap and turning to face him on his knees. His eyebrows furrowed into a tight knot as his eyes were now replaced with worry, his hand still cupping Vance's cheek. "Why? What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I'm not a good person and I - you're to good for me, I don't deserve you at all," Vance let his heart pour out his mouth, "I'm mean, I'm rude, everything about me is terrible. I'm a horrible person bruce!" Vance's chin wobbled, more tears pouring from his eyes.

"Vance don't say-" Bruce tried to speak, but was cut off with Vance's desperate cries.

"No, you're not understanding me bruce. You can't love me, why do you love me so? What have I ever done to deserve this love? Because bruce, you're so sweet - and me? I'm nothing. I'm fucking nothing, I'm a piece of shit. Trash on the floor, so why bruce? Why do you love me?!"

Bruce was also tearing up now, he'd never known Vance had felt like this. He'd never known Vance was regretting their love, he never knew that Vance thought bruce was too good for him and it hurt him on the inside that he hadn't known sooner. That he couldn't reassure him sooner.

"Vance," Bruce wiped a tear from Vance's face, "everything about you - it.. it was more than I could've asked. You're so much more than what you perceive yourself as. You saved me."

"How do I get it into your thick head of yours that I'll be the one who kills you?!" Vance exclaimed.

"Oh Vance," was all Bruce could say before pulling him into a hug, letting Vance's head rest on his shoulder as he felt his body shaking with sobs. Bruce wished he could say more, or do more, to convince the boy crying into his arms that he was more than what people told him he was. He wished Vance saw Vance how Bruce saw Vance, because he saw him in the brightest spotlight. His eyes whirl pools and his heart beating like the rest of them, but something about his heart was different. It was special, it was easy to pick from a crowd. And that's why, every single time, bruce would pick Vance no matter the protests thrown by Bruce.

"I wish you saw yourself how I see you," Bruce brought Vance's face up to his and kissed him, the salty tears falling onto each of their lips. It was a short kiss, only a quick one - as if to show his love for Vance without speaking. Because words weren't always the answer, sometimes words would never be enough to fulfil the heart.

"Do you really love me?" Vance asked, their foreheads resting against eachother. Other times, other people, bruce would've been offended with that question. Would've pulled an offended face and not answered, but something was different about how the question was asked. It was a tone of doubt, like vance was never sure if anybody truly and properly loved him.

"Of course I do, I don't think I've ever loved anybody as much as I love you," Bruce admitted, flashing Vance a small smile. He wished he could reassure him - no, he didn't want to fix him because Vance wasn't broken. Vance wasn't broken, he was an unfinished book that just needed the ending. And Bruce would write that ending for him, because bruce was his ending.

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1178 words

Short hurt/comfort chapter for you all!!! I'm a sucker for brance secret relationship so I just had to add that in, also coming up with iconic quotes that'll stick in ur brains is very difficult and possibly the hardest challenge of writing this damned book 🤧 bruce is super duper awesome, loved his character development (that internalised homophobia phase wasn't very lovely LMAO) /lh

but honestly, i am grateful for all the comments and support. It makes me so happy to know that people enjoy my story and want to see more of my upcoming works, which I shall be doing! I'm a sucker for writing angst aswell, but I couldn't keep ruining brance comfort so I only made it small! Yes, a lot of chapters will now be comfort.

I am currently writing a oneshot called 'balcony boy,' I am not sure when it will be out but if you give a follow to my Twitter (VANC3LVR, all caps) you'll most likely have a reminder on when it's out! It is brance (of course), I do promise I'll work on rinney and briffin fics soon, I just need to get my brance agenda out! If you like any of the other ships then stay in tune, I also don't mind doing gwen x Donna fics, since I don't see many of those <3

Thank you and hope you enjoyed reading!