Summary:
The boys go to a movie, Bruce makes his entrance.
Notes:
Also, I thought I should make this clear, the boys are all around 15 in this story, with Vance being the oldest at 16. Vance would be a year 11, while the rest of the boys are in year 10.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Finney and Griffin spent most of the English class, talking about the book the were reading. Both of them had already finished the book, and the lesson had been set for those who hadn't finished the book to at least get through one chapter. They were studying a modern tragedy, instead of an old one.
Finney and Griffin were both in advanced English, while Robin and Billy were in regular. The regular class was studying Romeo & Juliet, while they were studying The Fault In Our Stars. Finney had thoroughly enjoyed the book, even though it had ended, well tragically, the way it was written made it feel real. He cried when he got to the end, he was glad his dad wasn't home when he read it. If his dad had seen him crying over a love story, well he didn't want to know what his dad would've done.
"I'm not going to lie, I cried." Griffin told him quite confidentially. Finney just nodded. He understood.
"When I read his letter at the end, I couldn't help it." Griffin continued on, and Finney felt the urge to comfort him.
"Yeah, that part got to me as well." Finney ended up telling him, and Griffin smiled up at him frown where his head was resting on the desk. Finney smiled right back at him. The letter wasn't the only part that got to him. It was also Hazel's mom, he spent most of the time sobbing over the argument that the had where Hazel had said
'You won't be a mother anymore.'
Needless to say he went through an entire pack of travel tissues.
The two boys went back and fourth, about things they liked, and didn't like about the book, and the conversation carried on even as they exited the classroom when the bell for lunch rang. The two of them happily made there way down the hallway, and Finney made a mental note of Max, and the other boy's absence.
They exited the building, and were meet with the sight of Billy enthusiastically waving them over to a table he and Robin had claimed as there's. Even though it was near the end of year, no established group had been sitting at the table by the corner of the art room.
When they approached, Robin wordlessly moved his bag from beside him and dropped it on the floor. Finney sat down, next to him, and Griffin sat beside Billy, who was watching something on his phone.
"What are you watching?" Finney asked, peering over the table to try and catch a glance at what his friend was watching. Billy protectively pulled the phone towards his chest.
"Just some music video." Billy embarrassedly muttered out, at Finney could see a flush coming across the taller boy's features. Griffin chuckled and threw an arm over Billy's shoulder,
"Billy's watching a musical." Griffin told them, and his friend slipped downwards in shame. Finney didn't know why. He listened to musicals, they were good, and when his mom was still around they would talk about going to the proper theatre in the city to see a big show. Finney was also not ready to admit that he had been a dancer in a few shows himself.
"What musical?" Robin asked, through a mouthful of food. Finney passed him a napkin, and reminded him to chew with his mouth closed.
"The Great Comet of 1812." Finney's head snapped up at Billy's response. Billy to note of this.
"Do you know it?" Billy shyly asked, and Finney swallowed the lump in his throat and knew that he had to give a normal response.
"It's my favourite musical." Finney told Billy, hoping that would erase his awkward reaction from the equation. It certainly did, as Billy's eyes lit up, and all of a sudden the tall boy was leaning over that table to excitedly talk to Finney.
"Oh my god, it's my favourite to!" Billy excitedly. Billy started talking about the show, and how he had been so excited that it had been performed at the local theatre last year. Finney felt a spike of fear go through him, at the mention of the local theatre, and he knew he had to divert away from the local performance.
"What's your favourite song?" Finney figured that was a good way to keep the topic on the musical, but more it a way from the local performance. This was seemingly the right decision. As Billy once again started to excitedly ramble.
"I love Prologue, but I also love letters for the tune." Finney felt like he had just opened the door to something it he wasn't sure yet. Finney looked as if he was in thought before he replied.
"Those are good ones, my favourite's Sonya Alone." Finney told him, as he tried his best to not let the grin cover his entire face. Billy was delighted with his response.
"That's a really good one, but it's so sad." Billy told him, as he sat back down, and he saw Griffin shaking his head.
"Robin, we are going to have to put up with these two dorks for the rest of our lives." Robin chuckled and he felt Robin lean into his side.
"Yeah, we are, but their our dorks." Robin softly said, as he leaned his head against Finney's shoulder. Finney stiffened and he looked up at Billy and Griffin who were wearing knowing smiles that Finney couldn't figure out for the life of him why.
"Oh shoot, I left my math book in my locker." Billy said, as he rustled through his bag. The boy stood up, and shouted over his shoulder
"I'm going to go get it." Griffin immediately stood up, and jogged after the other, shouting that they'll be back in five minutes. That left Finney with Robin, who was still leaning on his shoulder. A silence grew over them, which was broken by Robin, muttering something, that Finney couldn't quite catch.
"Sorry, what did you say?" He asked, as he turned his head toward Robin, and he just then registered how close his and Robin's face had become. He tried not to think about it to hard.
"Sorry, about being weird this morning." Robin repeated, as he pointedly avoided eye contact with Finney.
"It's ok, but did I do something?" Finney inquired, fearing he may of done something to upset Robin, he didnt know wha he could've done, but if he had caused some sort of slight he wanted to fix it. Robin had seen the gears turning in Finney's head and immediately soothed the boy.
"Hey, Finn no, you didn't do anything." Robin gently whispered, and Finney felt himself calm down at the words of reassurance, but that left a nagging question in the back of his head.
"So what happened?" Finney, hoped that it was something that he could help Robin with. Robin looked up at him, and his eyes looked murky in thought, before he let out a sigh.
"It's stupid." Robin muttered into Finney's shoulder. Finney hummed in response and let his own head rest on top of Robin's.
"It's not stupid if it upset you." He could feel Robin stiffen under his touch for a moment, and he considered moving away, but then.
"I had a nightmare." Robin said, and went on to explain.
"I had this stupid nightmare, that you were trapped in this room-" Finney stiffened and hoped, that Robin didn't feel it, and thankfully it seemed he didn't as he continued.
"You were trapped in this room, and you kept screaming for me to help you, and I couldn't get to you for some reason." Robin told him, and he hoped that it was just a coincidence that Robin had a nightmare like that.
"Well, I'm here now." Finney told Robin, in what he hoped was his most reassuring voice. "And you know-" Finney continued having a felling that he couldn't just leave it at that.
"If anything like that happened to me, it wouldn't be your problem." Robin sat up straight, and the soft weight left his side, which Finney found himself missing immediately. Robin was looking at him intensely, and Finney could feel himself shrinking under his friends gaze, there was something like anger bubbling in Robin's eyes, but there was also some confusion.
"Finn." Robin said, and all of sudden Finney felt like he said something he shouldn't of, he gulped and Robin continued.
"If anything like that happened to you, I want you to know I would not stop looking for you until I'd found you." Robin was still looking at him intensely, but the anger was gone from his eyes, they were filled with something that Finney couldn't quite place.
He wanted to say something, but then.
"Guys the bell rang, we've got to go." Billy told them, and whatever moment they had been having had been broken. They wordlessly separated from each other, and began their walk to class.
Both Robin and Finney felt something had been left unfinished, but neither of them knew how to finish it quite yet.
______________________________________
Over the rest of the week, the boy's carried on about the school week, but their was a buzz of excitement about them. On Saturday, they we're all going to go to the drive in cinema, and see The Fault in Our Stars. Robin's uncle was going to pick them up, and they would catch a five at night showing. The group chat had been blowing up with memes and plans, and just general chatter, on Friday night an idea struck Finney.
Finn: What are your guys favourite desserts?
He received a reply instantly
SillyBilly: Apple pie
Stagg: Brownies
Red Robin: pastries with like a raspberry filling.
Finney pulled out a notebook and wrote these down, he knew what he would spend tomorrow morning doing. Gwen was at Susie's and she wouldn't be home until mid day Sunday, he didn't really know where his dad was, but he was never in the home on Friday's or Saturday's.
Finney didn't have to worry about how much noise he was making when he checked he had enough trays and tins, to make things for tomorrow. He looked through, the pantry and fridge, and wrote down what he would need from the store in the morning. He needed chocolate, and raspberries, that was it.
Although no one was home, Finney felt the need to check over his shoulder, when he walked into his room. Under his bed, was a box that had cash from odd jobs Finney had done, he unlocked the box, with the key that he kept hidden in another box, which had a pair of ballet shoes that Finney pointedly ignored when he got the key out.
When he opened his money box, he noticed that it was noticeably lower then the last time, he went into it. He didn't know how it had gotten so low, but then again he hadn't really had time for odd jobs. Maybe it was time he got a proper job? That would be something to consider later, for now he pulled out as much as he needed, and placed it in the pocket of the jeans he would be wearing tomorrow. He felt the outline as Vance's necklace, in it.
He needed to return it at some point, but he had yet to have the opportunity to do so. He could think about that later. For now Finney was going to go to bed.
He woke up, to the sound of the alarm he had set the night before. It was six thirty, and the store opened at seven. Finney quickly got dressed, and went to the bathroom to fix up his hair, and brush his teeth. He didn't bother with breakfast. He looked at himself in the mirror.
The words 'Frilly Finney' and 'Fat Finney" wen through his head, but he splashed his face with water, and choose to focus on other things. He walked out of the bathroom, and grabbed his backpack of the counter, and walked out the front door, he locked it behind him.
He plugged his headphones into his phones, and hits play on the first album that he downloaded came up, which was the Great Comet of 1812. He happily hummed along to the music, as he walked through the town, it was only a fifteen minute walk to the store, and the parking lot was practically empty with the exception of two cars.
Finney didn't pay them much mind, as he walked into the store. It was deathly quiet in the store and Finney was glad he had some music playing, as it would otherwise be dead silent. He quickly found the raspberries and, the chocolate, and was happy that the cashier didn't try to make any small talk with him. He walked out of the store with his hag slightly heavier then before, and he was about to start walking off, when he heard a the sound of something hitting the ground, and a curse.
He turned around, and saw a tall woman, with light blonde curly hair, looking angrily at produce that had been spilled out on the side walk, her hands were full of six more bags, and Finney didn't even think about when he walked over, and began to pick up the spilled groceries. The woman had turned around, to put her bags down, and she let out a shriek of surprise when she saw Finney, holding the groceries in his arms.
"Oh goodness." she shrieked "I didn't see you there sweetie." She said with a sigh, and for some reason Finney felt sheepish at the pet name, and he gestured with his free hand to the rest of the bags.
"I'll help you with those." He said, as he used his free hand to pick up three of the six bags on the ground, and the woman picked up the other three.
'Well aren't you the sweetest thing." She cooed, and gestured for him to follow her to what Finney assumed was her car. The boot was open, and he gently placed the three bags in the boot, along with the other groceries he had picked.
"Thank you for that, honey. What's your name?" She sweetly asked, and Finney felt an embarsed flush working it's way up his face.
"Finney." He told her, and he immediately saw a spark of recognition.
"Oh, your Finnely's boy!" She happily exclaimed. "Golly you are the spitting image of her." She said, and Finney knew that he could no longer hide the fact that he was blushing.
"Thanks." He sheepishly muttered out, and the lady just smiled at him.
"No, thank you for helping me with the groceries, usually my son helps me out, but he's moping in the car because he lost his necklace." Suddenly the chain in Finney's pocket felt a million times heavier.
He glanced into the window, and there in the passengers seat sat Vance Hopper with, his arms crossed looking like he wished he was anywhere else. He looked back at the woman in front of him, and before he could stop himself he said
"I think I can fix that." Before he knew it, he was in front of the passengers door, with the chain placed in his open palm, and he knocked on the window. Vance looked surprise that someone, had interrupted his moping, but he rolled down the window. Finney saw Miss Hopper, getting into the drivers seat.
"What do you want kid?" Vance asked, looking puzzled. Finney just gestured to the necklace in his flat palm, and he saw Vance's eyes light up, as he snatched it out of Finney's open palm.
"Where'd you find it?" Vance demanded, his eyes screamed accusation, and Finney knew that he did not want Vance Hopper pissed off at him.
"We ran into eacother, and I guess it fell off then." Finney explained hoping that was enough. Vance looked him up and down one more time, before he nodded seemingly accepting the explination.
"Well thanks then-" Vance said, looking like he was trying to place a name to him, and Miss Hpper cheerily chimed in
"Finney."
"Finney, right then, thanks Finney, I'll remember this." Vance said with a nod, and the engine of the car started.
"Will give you a lift home sweetheart." Miss Hopper, said and gestured to the now unlocked back door.
"Oh, you don't have to." He started, but Miss Hopper just shook her head.
"I insist." That was enough for Finney to hop in the car, and gently shut the door behind him, He and Miss Hopper chatted about school and a few other things, with Vance occasionally chiming in and before he knew it they were out the front of his house.
"Well stay safe then sweetie, and will see you around." Miss Hopper said before driving off.
He looked at the empty driveway for a few more seconds. And then he walked back into the house, he had some baking to do.
__________________________________
Finney, thankfully was really good at baking, his mom had insisted he learnt it when she was alive. And he was now really grateful for that. In front of him, was a apple pie, brownies, and pastries with raspberry filling. He glance at the clock, and saw that it was four. Robin had said, his uncle would be here to pick him up at four fifteen.
Fiiney, quickly packed the food into travel containers and a bag, before running to his room to change into the shirt he had put aside, it was a a red sleeve button up, with short sleeves, he hastily slipped it on, and tucked the hair behind his ears, he grabbed he food bag, and went to wait outside.
Just as he was locking the door, he heard the sound of a car pulling up into the driveway. He walked over, and tried to hide his excitement, but Robin happily opened the door.
"Come on, Finn get in." Robin said, as he excitedly pulled Finney by the wrist into the car. Robin's uncle was in the drivers seat, Billy and Griffin were both sitting in the boot. They happily greeted Finney, and he hoped he looked as happy to see them, as they were acting to see him.
He sat down, and placed the bag at his feet, and he almost mentally slapped himself, where were his manners?
"Thank you, for taking me tonight sir." He told Robin's uncle, and the loudest laugh he had ever heard came in reply.
"No need to call me sir, just call me Ricky and no problem." Ricky said, and Robin had a grin on his face. Robin looked great with a smile. But then again Robin always looked great to Finney.
'What's in the bag. Because it smells great" Griffin asked, leaning over from behind Finney. Finney smiled at him,
"You'll just have to wait until we get there to find out." Griffin groaned at his reply, and muttered something that Finney couldn't fully make out, but it somehow had Billy burst into laughter. The rest of the car ride, carried out with light conversation, and they all happily chatted about anything they could think of.
Once they had pulled into the drive in, Billy and Griffin came in sat in the back seats with Robin and Finney, rather then being in he boot, Finney and Robin were squished to the right side, Ricky had also put the front seats down so that they could see the movie clearly, and he went to go lie down in the boot and do whatever he was doing.
Griffin hadn't stopped bugging him about what was in the bag, and Finney finally caved and opened it, they had fifteen minutes before the movie started anyway. He pulled out the Apple pie first, and passed a fork to Griffin,
"That ones for you." Finney said, and next pulled out the brownies, and wordlessly passed hem to Billy, and finally he passed he raspberry pastries to Robin, who looked taken aback.
Silence filled the car, and Finney wasn't sure why. He was about to say something, but someone beat him to it.
"Did you make these?" Billy asked, sounding astonished. Finney nodded, and he wasn't sure why it was becoming such a big deal.
"See I told you he was an angel!" Griffin chimed in, with apple pie already around his face.
"Looks like an angel, talks like an angel, acts like an angel." Billy said, in a sing song voice, which made Finney cover his face with his hands, while the other buys laughed all around him. Robin turned around in his seat and offered his uncle one of the pastries, he happily took it.
"Oh my god, you made these kid?" Ricky said, with looking amazed. Finney nodded, and Ricky turned to Robin.
"Robin, he's a keeper." Ricky told his nephew. Robin flushed a shade of pink, and looked like he was going to snap back with something. But a knock on the window stopped them.
Standing by the window was Bruce Yamada.
Bruce Yamada, who Finney had last heard on the phone in that god dam basement. He had to do his best not to climb in Robin's lap and throw the door open. Robin rolled down the window, and casually placed his arm on the window
"Hey man, can we help you?" Robin asked, and Bruce broke into a smile.
"Hey, I'm just handing out some fliers for the cafe, on smiths street." Bruce said, and he offered a flier, and Robin took it from his hand.
"They're looking for some extra workers, no previous experience needed or anything, I work there as well." He finished, Finney quickly glanced over the flier, and bit down his enthusiasm when he asked
"When would I come in for an interview?"
Bruce perked up at his question, and pulled out a clipboard, he glanced out it, and happily asked
"Could you come in tomorrow at eight in the morning?" And without any hesitation
"Absolutely." Somehow Bruce's smile grew wider,
"Great, I'll see you then Finney Blake." And Bruce departed with that. Robin rolled up the window, and looked like he wanted to say something, but then the screen lit up and the movie began.
The sky grew dark quickly, and Finney found himself more invested in the atmosphere of the drive in more hen anything. About half way through the movie he turned his head, and he saw Billy and Griffin both asleep, leaning against each other. Joy filled his heart knowing that he had made sure Billy got here.
And the sight made him determined, to keep Griffin here as well. He heard a yawn beside him, and an arm stretched behind his head, he almost moved forward, but ten he felt an arm around his shoulders, he turned to look at Robin, who had his eye's focused at the screen, the only noticeable change in his friends features, was that his cheeks were dusted in a light shade of pink.
Instead of pulling away from the touch, Finney leant into Robin's side. He heard his friend take a sharp inhale, and he was about to move away and apologise, but then, he felt Robin relax against the touch. Finney's eyelids started to grow heavy, and he heard Robin start to yawn again, he felt a weight on top of his head. Robin's cheek was resting on top of Finney's own head.
Finney finally allowed himself to let go of consciousness, but before he finally drifted off he swore he heard someone say.
"Definitely an angel."