NOTES: daily reminder to subscribe to my ao3 for exclusive works including deleted scenes from THIS fic! This book will end in three chapters, so I'm making the end as sad as possible :). I will make these boys go through it for shits and giggles.
AO3 - forevernightfall
Benny, out! <3
_____
[ I N S T A G R A M ]
robinurheart → griffyshow
what college are you applying for?
[ 2 : 08 pm ]
probably new york law school, you?
[ 2 : 09 pm ]
im aiming for julliard but if not i
have the option of berklee, ive
already been accepted there so
[ 2 : 11 pm ]
we're not gonna be near
each other for college?
[ 2 : 15 pm ]
i mean, i guess not but its ok
we're following our dreams and
its not like we'll be breaking
up, we can make this work
[ 2 : 16 pm ]
yeah, youre right. so, music?
[ 2 : 18 pm ]
yeah, i wanna start a band or
something along the lines of
performing professionally
[ 2 : 20 pm ]
tell me more, robert
[ 2 : 21 pm ]
robinurheart has started a call
_____
griffyshow → yamada_b
hey, do you know what
college you're thinking of
applying for?
[ 2 : 25 pm ]
Yale, for history yk, i find it very
interesting, and i def think its
something i wanna do in the future
[ 2 : 26 pm ]
oh
[ 2 : 30 pm ]
yeah, what about you?
[ 2 : 31 pm ]
uh, new york law school
[ 2 : 32 pm ]
oh, we wont be near each other
[ 2 : 33 pm ]
yeah
[ 2 : 33 pm ]
_____
yamada_b →v.hopper
hey, has ffin tected u
[ 2 : 40 pm ]
no, and ffin is such a
horrible nicknaem for
him when finney is right
there what r you doing
[ 2 : 56 pm ]
shut up. im worried about him
we were talking about colleges
and he kinda js shut down when
i said i was going to yale
[ 3 : 00 pm ]
holy shit, you got accepted?
[ 3 : 00 pm ]
YEAH! isnt that sick?
[ 3 : 00 pm ]
hell yeah, good job B
[ 3 : 02 pm ]
thanks V <3
[ 3 : 03 pm ]
anytime, B. so, about griffin?
[ 3 : 06 pm ]
right, idk i think hes worried
that we'll forget all about him
when we move away for college
[ 3 : 07 pm ]
alr, have everyone come
to my place, we're gonna talk to
everytone n hopefully clear things
up for griff
[ 3 : 10 pm ]
_____
[ S N A P C H A T ]
Harry Styles' Fruit Salad
bruce 🧸 has sent a snap
[ A mirror selfie of Bruce wearing loose white ripped jeans with mesh pants underneath, a cropped pale blue hoodie with 'B' marked largely on the back, unclear if the B stands for Bruce or Billy, he's in black high-top converse and light make-up his applied to his face. His hair is held back by a clip in the shape of a planet- a gift from Finney. He is standing in front of the mirror, one hand holding the phone as he bends forward slightly and is in a halted position where it seems he is delivering a blow kiss.
The photo is captioned 'sleepover at V's place, everyone HAS to be there or they won't get my famous mac n cheese 🫶' ]
finney🪐
ill be there :))
grif 🦌
i dont have a choice, mums out
vance
its kinda my place so
billy 🍄
anything for B <3
Robin 🥊
ill try my best to be there! familys over 😥
_____
"Hey guys." Griffin smiled lightly, a sad look in his eyes. He avoided eye contact with everyone as he made his way over to Vance and sat down next to him, cuddling into his side.
"Hey, you okay?" Billy asked, a concerned look on his face. Vance tossed a blanket over Griffin as he wrapped his arms around him.
"Yeah, just tired. We're gonna graduate in a couple of weeks and I really wanna get some good grades so I can keep my scholarship for college." He mumbled, yawning sleepily as Vance ran his fingers through his hair.
"Oh! That reminds me, what schools are you all going to? I'm going to either Juilliard or Berklee!" Robin perked up, sitting on the edge of the lounge chair he was occupying. Finney groaned from where he sat on the loveseat with Bruce.
"Don't remind me. Where I'm going it's going to be so hard to adjust."
"Well, where are you going?" Billy stared him down.
Shifting uncomfortably, Finney muttered something under his breath.
"What?" Griffin tilted his head as best he could.
"I said I'm going to the University of California Berkeley.." Finney hid his face with his hands. Griffin swallowed roughly. He didn't want to leave his partners. It wasn't fair. What if they forgot about him?
"I'm going to Princeton!" Billy puffed his chest out proudly. "I got accepted yesterday. Full ride scholarship and everything."
A series of congratulations rang throughout the room.
"Uh, I got invited to the School of Art Institute in Chicago." Vance spoke out, an embarrassed blush high on his cheeks."
"That's great, Van!" Robin cried out, bouncing excitedly in his seat.
"I got accepted into Yale for history!!!" Bruce shrieked, grinning brightly. Finney screamed, pulling Bruce into a bone-crushing hug.
"Holy shit! That's been your dream since like, forever!" Billy whistled, a shocked yet happy look on his face.
"What about you, Griffy?" Everyone's attention switched to Griffin causing him to sink even further into Vance and the couch,
"Uhm, I'm thinking about attending the New York law school," He mumbled, picking at his cuticles. Billy nudged him with his shoulder.
"That's great, love. Have you applied?" Griffin nodded.
"So you're just waiting for a response?" Griffin nodded again. Vance sighed, clearing his throat and gaining everyone's attention.
"Griffin, I want you to know that no matter what happens after we graduate, I'll always love you." His whispers loud in the otherwise silent room. Griffin teared up slightly.
"How can you know that? What if you guys meet other people and decide I'm not worth it and leave me behind or you forget about me? You can't promise that you'll always love me when you guys haven't met anyone else." Griffin croaked, the tip of his nose turning red.
"Griffin I swear to you, we will make this work. If we have to go long distance, then we'll just work extra hard to communicate." Robin sweared, he stood up from his seat and moved over to kneel in front of Griffin, his hands gripping the other boys.
"But what if communication doesn't work? We'll be in different time zones and with classes and homework- what if we start to pull away from each other?" Griffin whimpered, sniffling. Finney let out a pained whine, his face scrunching up.
"No, baby, Griffy, we'll be together for as long as you want us to be. I'll be yours and you'll be mine for as long as you want. When you decide you want out- say it." Billy sat down next to Robin, directly in front of Vance and laid his head on his thighs.
Bruce pulled Finney into his arms. "Griffin, I love you. I'm not going anywhere."
Griffin descended into sobs, tears ran down his face and snot bubbles from his nose. The lids of eyes turned a blush pink and his eyelashes fluttered and clumped together. Vance held Griffin as he cried, tears soaking his shirt. They rocked back and forth, Vance making shushing noises as Billy and Robin whispered sweet nothings.
Griffin eventually pulled away from the three boys and curled into the corner of the couch furthest from everyone. He wiped his tears and snot away with his sleeves, grimacing in disgust.
"Sorry," Griffin mumbled. He took off his sweater and scratched the back of his head. "I know I trust you guys- but it's.. When I'm faced with the possibility of you guys meeting other people and deciding that, I dunno, maybe I'm not worth it?"
"You'll always be worth it. No matter what anyone tells you, you are worth it." Bruce stated with vigor. Finney threw a sweater- probably one of Vance's- at Griffin.
Griffin snorted. "Yeah, ok."
"You'll believe us one day, Griff; trust me." Finney nodded in assertion, he seemed to have made up his mind. Everyone else nodded in agreement as Griffin simply closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
_____
They didn't survive the long distance. They had fought a long, valiant battle but in the end. It just wasn't enough.
Billy found a pretty girl who held his attention like a dog to a bone. He was the first to leave.
Finney distanced himself next, remaining close only to Robin. He was gone second.
Robin left only a week after Finney. For no apparent reason except for the fact that they would choose each other over anyone. Over Griffin.
Griffin could feel Vance and Bruce leaving him, so he left them. He left them before they could leave him, and it still hurt.
He told them, he told them they wouldn't last- that they would leave him. They can't say he was wrong.
_____
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, you know."
"I want to do this. I need to. I just have to try again. It will work."
"It's only going to make you feel worse when you wake up, [redacted]."
"But I have them now, for now they aren't going anywhere."
"Nothing lasts forever, you can't cheat destiny."
"Just- please? I want to be with them while I can. I don't want to wake up [beep]."
".... Fine, come back to me soon, [redacted]. I need you."
"Thank you."