Chapter Text
“Finney Blake, come out of that dorm room right now!” Vance pounded loudly on his door and Finney just flopped back on the bed, exasperated.
“What did you do to Vance, Cariño?” Robin said, perking up from his spot on his own bed. He had a paper in his hands and Finney was pretty sure he was scanning it over for more spelling errors after the last paper he turned in made him a laughing stock for weeks.
“Vance, you aren’t supposed to be here! Did you even check in with the campus staff?” Bruce’s voice came from outside the door, joining them in the hallway.
“No, but judging by that awful misspelling of your name, you clearly did.”
“Of course I did,”
“I’m pretty sure she was trying to spell tomato.”
“Yeah, whatever, just get off their door.” It was the middle of the day and there was way too much going on already. The whole hall was used to their antics, but that didn’t make them any more irritated with the four boys at the end of the hall. “Finney, why would you steal Vance’s tools, you know he needs them for work.”
“Maybe I needed them for some new installations.”
“You’re gonna need ‘em for a new door here in a second, asshat!”
“Shut it before you get them in trouble with the RA again.”
“He robbed me, this is a normal goddamn reaction, Bruce!”
“Finney, just give him his tools back.”
“Sure, when he returns my textbook.”
“I have it here, just open up.” Finney could spot that lie from a mile away and he made no moves toward the door, finally sitting up.
“Could you four shut the hell up! Some of us are trying to study,” Griffin poked his head out into the hallway, his expression unamused as he looked on at the duo, presently trying to break down the door to dorm 2A.
Vance managed to make it through high school with the intense coaching and surveillance of the other five boys. Though, both him and Bruce never entered college. Vance worked odd jobs whenever he could and fancied himself a freelancer, while Bruce worked as a firefighter for the local station. Finney, Griffin, Robin, and Billy all attended the same college and the other two boys lived just down the road in an apartment. Finney was studying to become an English teacher, Robin was on his way to becoming a chef, though his degree was in hospitality, which Finney found both stupid and fitting in a strange way. Billy still continued delivering newspapers, just around campus, while he pursued a degree in theater. Thanks to the government and local scholarships, he’d gotten a full ride for a degree he didn’t really need. Griffin, on the other hand, was majoring in veterinary science, of all things. Their groups' completely different paths in life still weren’t enough to separate them though, unsurprisingly. Even in adulthood, they still refused to live more than a few streets apart and the two that weren’t attending college rented an apartment less than a block away.
Bruce and Vance had long since declared their relationship and were pretty unapologetic about the hold thing. They were happy together and happy with the lives they made for themselves after the hell they’d endured and didn’t really care about the claims of others. Vance spent two years in a hellhole with a man who scared him more than anyone had or would for probably the rest of his life and no accusations of eternal damnation would get him to leave Bruce.
“Finney Blake!” Vance banged on the door again and Finney dropped his head in his hands.
“Oh, just open the door Finn, or he’ll never leave. I’m trying to study.”
“Yeah, are you?”
“I am.” Robin said, raising his eyes from the book in his hands.
“Robin, it’s upside-down.”
“Oh, sh*t.” He burst into laughter and Finney couldn’t help but laugh as well when Robin dropped the book and revealed that he had, in fact, been fiddling with a straw.
“Finney!” Vance came again and it finally got him to his feet.
“Okay, okay! Jesus, you’re gonna get us kicked out of the dorms at this rate, and we can’t afford off-campus living, jackass.” Finney finally cracked the door open, nearly ran over when Vance pushed all of his weight against it and threw it open wide.
“Where’s my tools, jackass?”
“Where’s my textbook, dickhe*d?”
“Right here, jesus.” Vance chucked his English History textbook at him and Finney ducked down, letting it hit the bed instead of his chest. “Now give me my tools, I’ve got a job starting tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah, what’s it this time? Oh, let me guess. You’re gonna be a bouncer at a strip club again,” Finney reached under the bed, fishing out Vance’s toolbox with a heave.
“That was over a year ago, dumbsh*t.” He said, snatching his box from Finney’s arms without any of the same troubles the smaller boy seemed to experience. Finney only rolled his eyes at how much stronger Vance was. “Plus, you’re still wrong. I got hired by a repair company around here.”
“Oh yeah, the oh-so-tough Vance Hopper is gonna be fixing toilets this time?” Robin spoke up with a laugh, pushing himself to the edge of his bed as Griffin and Billy walked in, too bothered with what they were doing to focus on whatever they’d been in the middle of.
“I will beat your ass Arellano, just like old times.” Robin raised his hands in mock surrender, a cheesy smile making its way onto his face.
“I think you’ll find that I beat you on multiple occasions, Hopper. Like that time at the drive-in, that time in my room, that time outside Finney’s house, that time-!”
“Shut up, you’re pissing me off.” Robin rolled his eyes, patting the space on his bed and letting both Billy and Bruce join him atop it. When Griffin also made a jump for it, Robin laughed at him.
“Not you, Stagg.”
“Oh, come on, Robin!”
“I’m pretty sure you tore up my bed and left a footprint on my wall the last time I let you up here.”
“I remember that,” Finney chimed in, earning himself a glare from Griffin.
“Okay, maybe that happened, but I’ve changed! No footprints on the wall, I swear!”
“Why don’t you just get on Finney’s bed, Grif?” Vance questioned, and as usual had made it a point to lean against the wall instead of sitting down himself.
“Have you ever tried to get on Finney’s bed? It’s like trying to invade a whole ass country.”
“I don’t let anyone on my bed,” Finney answered plainly, hopping back on it to defend it more readily if they tried to prove him wrong.
“Robin’s in your bed all the time!” Billy pointed out, drawing a red tint to his face.
“That’s different. Robin doesn’t care what I want.” Robin’s mouth dropped open in fake shock and Finney stifled a laugh. “And I couldn’t beat Robin if I’ve tried, and trust me, I have tried.” Griffin rolled his eyes, returning to his vain attempts to wiggle his way onto Robin’s mattress, finding himself swiftly pushed away every time he got close.
“This sucks,” He whined, finally resigning himself to his spot on the floor.
“There’s no need to complain, just don’t be stupid and you won’t be shunned.”
“Robin, I’m going to light your dorm on fire.”
“When you do, can I be inside it?” Griffin only laughed in response and Finney chucked a pillow across the room, indignation written across his face.
“Yo, Robin, help me get some sh*t out of the car.” Vance piped up, already halfway out the door.
“You can do it yourself, you know.” Robin grumbled, though he still followed quickly after the older boy.
“You’ve got two legs and strong arms, I’m pretty sure you could’ve grabbed these all on your own.” Robin said, tossing a bag over his shoulder. It looked like Vance and Bruce had every intention to spend the night again. Robin already knew that it meant Vance was having nightmares about The Grabber. Whenever he had nightmares, Vance would hole up with the rest of them, be it at their houses or in the dorms, he was never far when his sleep was plagued by The Grabber. Bruce had confided in him once that they only seemed to get worse when it got colder out, and Robin couldn’t blame him, cold floors were enough to make him spiral at times.
“So, when are you gonna hoist your balls and ask the lover boy out?” Vance prompted, tossing two more bags over his shoulder and slamming his car door shut.
Robin felt his whole face burn at the implication and if he wasn’t holding Bruce’s bags, he would have dropped them and sprung on Vance in the same instant.
“It’s not like that.” Vance raised his eyebrow, just as disbelieving as he was in the basem*nt all those years ago. “It’s not, Finney likes girls.”
“If Finney Blake is straight, I’m Madonna.” Robin rolled his eyes and set off back towards the dorms. “I just don't get it, dipsh*t. Why haven’t you asked him out? It’s painfully obvious that you’re into each other.”
“I don’t want to ruin what we already have, okay?” Robin hollered, his grip on the bag in his hand tightening. “Besides, not everyone is as confident as you and Bruce.”
“Robin, you aren’t one to back down just because people don’t like you.” Vance paused, letting his usually angry mask slip for a moment. “And I don’t think even the end of the world could separate you two. Hell, I don’t think death could separate you two.”
“Just drop it, Vance. I’ll talk to him later.”
“You’ve been saying that for five years, asshole.”
“I’m aware.” They made it back to the residence hall, one of many, and Robin couldn’t help but sigh. “After what all we went through, I’d be surprised if Finney hated the idea of being with a guy, anyway, can you blame him?”
“No, but I doubt that’s what’s really happening. Being gay isn’t exactly a choice man,” Vance exhaled, looking down at Robin for a long moment. “It’s just how we are and I don’t think Finney would give up a piece of himself that easily.” Robin sighed, lifting his head to look at the afternoon sun.
“Alright, I’ll actually think about it this time. Don’t get your hopes up though, pendejo.”
“Never have, never will, dickweasel.”
“Arellano!” Griffin threw open the door, shocking Robin to his feet.
“God, Griffin! Could you knock?”
“Uh..no.” Griffin threw his paper in the air, pointing at Robin, who was sitting at the edge of his bed, in the middle of helping Billy with chemistry, since Finney avidly refused to help after they’d made a mess of the dorm.
“What do you want, kid?” He whined, leaning up from the work in front of him to get a better look at Griffin.
“You gave me the wrong answers for the calculus assignment!”
“Oh, did I?” The condescending smirk from the dark haired boy was just enough to make Griffin launch himself at him. “Oh sh*t, Grif!” He barely had time to roll out of the way before the boy landed beside him.
“Hey! Cut it out! You’re getting your shoes on my bed!” Billy pushed Griffin to the side unceremoniously with a laugh.
“Hey, you three, some of us are trying to study.” Finney was lounged out on his own bed, fiddling with his pen while he tried relentlessly to memorize the formulas in front of him.
“Not my fault you’ve got a stick where you shouldn’t.”
“Hey, quiet Griffin.” The laughter that rang around the room was soft and brought a warmth to Finney’s chest, one he didn’t think would ever leave, not as long as they were there.
Time was passing slowly, like seconds were turning into years. He was up for hours while he watched the silent rising and falling of Robin’s chest.
“How the hell do you sleep like that?” Finney whispered into the quiet room; his voice like sandpaper from the genuine exhaustion he couldn’t seem to shake. “I don’t understand.”
It had been well over a week since Finney had gotten more than an hour of sleep each night. He’d been late to class twice after oversleeping and he could absolutely tell what a toll it was taking on himself. Before he could stop himself, tears were filling his eyes and dropping onto the sheets below him.
“sh*t!” He covered his mouth, terrified his roommate would wake up.
And wake he did. Robin stirred, lifting his head and looking around. Finney was dumbstruck, his hands locked over his mouth as tears fell down his face, rolling over his hands.
“…Finney?” Robin’s voice was gentle, like soft rain against a tin rooftop. “Cariño!” His urgent whisper was quickly followed by footsteps as the boy shot to his feet and basically jumped across the room, dropping to the floor by his roommate’s bed. “Why are you crying, what’s wrong?”
“I can’t sleep.” Robin stared at him for a long moment, processing his words while still trying to completely wake himself up. “I haven’t slept in days, Robin, I feel like I’m falling apart from the inside.”
It felt weird, to open up and be completely honest with his friend. He’d never had a friend like Robin before, never been so ready to just spill his innermost and secret thoughts with someone. Hell, the Finney from three months ago would have looked at him like he was losing it just for opening his mouth.
“Oh my,” Robin moved up, sitting on the edge of Finney’s bed. He didn’t touch anything or try to move the papers that were littered across Finney’s bed at every hour of the day. “Why didn’t you say anything? Is it me, am I snoring?”
“Hah! You barely even breathe!” Robin chuckled, but he could see the tears shining on his friend’s face, lit by the moonlight that flooded the room in its soft light. He scooted slightly closer, pulling the anxious boy into a hug.
“So what is it then?” Robin questioned, rubbing his hands in circles across his back.
“I keep seeing him, every time I fall asleep. He’s there.” Finney was shaking all over, his breath catching in hiccups as the warmth of Robin’s skin rubbed off on his own, heating him on the inside and out.
“Hey, breathe, Finney.” He took a slow, shaky breath in. Oddly enough, within the arms of his dearest friend, Finney could actually feel himself starting to fall asleep. After a few moments of quiet silence, Finney did actually manage to fall asleep without drowning himself with melatonin.
“Finney?” Robin whispered the words, barely audible in the moonlight. He watched the younger teen in silence, felt the rise and fall of his chest in its steady rhythm. “You would fall asleep in my arms, wouldn’t you?” He looked heavenly in the light, pale skin almost translucent in the blue shades of the moon.
When Finney woke up the next morning, he felt alive for the first time in weeks. He could feel light breathing on the back of his neck, his face running red before he could even process his situation. Robin was leaned up against the wall, Finney’s arms wrapped around his stomach, his head resting on his friend’s thigh. A gentle hand was against his back and faint circles from hours before still seemed to linger on his skin. Finney wasn’t even awake all the way, exhaustion still fighting to keep him asleep and comfortable. The early morning sun peeked through the window, casting its soft light across Robin’s face. His hair rested loosely over his face, untouched by sleep.
Finney couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t exactly uncommon for them to fall asleep side by side, and they’d both helped the other through nightmares before, but this felt different. Recently, their friendship seemed to evolve more. It wasn’t like they had never held hands, but recently Robin’s fingers were always intertwined with his own. No, recently, they were more like a couple than best friends, and Finney didn’t mind that. In fact, he loved it.
He didn’t know how he could ever tell Robin that, but he loved morning coffee dates and warm hugs before they went off to classes. To Finney Blake, Robin Arellano was the brightest star in a cosmos of others. Robin wasn’t the only important person in Finney’s life, but he was the most important. Finney valued his opinion and attention above all others and now it was growing tenfold. He desperately wanted but Bruce and Vance had, a life together without too much stress or time apart.
He wanted to be able to kiss Robin at a moment's notice, just like the boys and girls did. That realization hit him like a brick. In that second, Finney realized that he was in love with his best friend. He knew there was no going back now that he realized how he felt.
Slowly and carefully, he wormed his way out of Robin’s hold, replacing the empty space with a pillow. He smiled softly, leaning back to look at him for a moment longer before he realized exactly what he was doing and his face ran red all over again. To escape the embarrassment, he snatched up his keys and wallet and headed silently out the door.
He had a lot of time to think as he walked across campus, heading for the coffee shop just across the street. He knew Robin’s order by heart and had every intention to grab it for him, despite how Robin had whined in the past about never doing anything for Finney in return. Finney didn’t mind though, he was just happy to see Robin happy.
He placed the order and took a seat by the window, looking out on the lawn of campus with a small sigh. Finney already knew that now that he’d realized how he felt, he couldn’t put it off. Just thinking about Robin made his heart damn near skip a beat. As far as he was concerned, today would be the day he confessed his feelings for Robin.
While they both sat there, silently sipping their coffee on opposite ends of the room, Robin mulled over everything in his head. Finney was acting strange, that much was obvious. Robin could see from the telltale shaking of his hands that Finney was nervous.
Unfortunately for Finney, it was a Sunday and it was seven-thirty in the morning, which meant he had literally nowhere to run off to.
“Listen, Robin, I-!” He stuttered over his words for a moment, desperately trying to get them out. “I like you, okay?”
There. He’d said it.
He watched Robin’s face closely, watching as his eyes went wide and then a soft, gentle smile faded onto his face and Finney felt his whole chest heave, his heart beating loudly in his ears.
“Oh, Cariño, I love you too.” Robin definitely didn’t miss the way Finney’s whole face lit up, his ears twinged red as he buried his face in his hands.
“You don’t have to lie.” He muttered, trying to shove his shame deeper into his palms. Robin’s laugh rang around the small dorm and Finney didn’t dare to look at him and risk seeing his disgusted face.
“Finney, I said I love you. Not I like you, even if I do like you very much. Te amo más que a nada en el mundo, Finney Blake.” Finney lifted his head slowly, quickly noticing Robin’s toothy grin and excited eyes. “Te amo con todo mi ser. Te amo con todas mis fuerzas. Te amo con todo mi corazón, mi alma y mi fuerza.” Robin said the words slowly as he approached before he dove at Finney, moving his coffee to the bedside in one smooth movement before wrapping his arms tighter around the boy’s waist.
“I don’t know what any of that meant,” Finney said through slowly forming tears. He may not have understood exactly what Robin was saying, but he knew that it was all he needed to hear. After a pause, their faces just a bit apart, Robin leaned in, searching for Finney’s approval and finding the boy to be quickly nodding. Robin only smiled and kissed him, the gesture quick and simple, but full of a love Finney Blake had always yearned for.
“Estoy perdidamente enamorado de ti.” Robin said, smiling brightly. “I gotta call Vance and rub this in his face, right after I’m done with you.” Robin pulled him in closer and he didn’t know if he’d have the self control to ever let him go again.
It was rather quiet in the residence hall after many peaceful months that were filled with joy and tranquility had passed. The lawn around the building was bustling with life as people prepared to head home for the summer. As the second semester of the year reached an end, five of the six boys were lounging about in Finney and Robin’s already packed dorm.
They were waiting on Vance to return with the car so they could finish loading everything up and move again. If it were a normal break, Finney would be running back to Denver to join his sister again, but after many years, she was entering adulthood and wouldn’t need him there to protect her for the summer, which meant that all the boys were bundling up in Vance and Bruce’s apartment to lounge around for two easy months before the school year started back up.
Vance and Bruce rented a two bed and two bath apartment for a damn good price, which meant that they weren’t squished too tightly into the space. Robin and Finney were taking the smaller bedroom while Bruce and Vance obviously kept their own. Griffin had been assigned to sleeping on the couch and Billy got to enjoy the comforts of a blow-up mattress with a feather topper to make it more comfortable, a detail that had proven to make Griffin a very unhappy couch camper.
With their first year of college over, the boys had their whole lives to look forward to. Robin and Finney had been together all throughout the second semester, and Bruce and Vance were as happy as always. Life was normal, life was simple. Aside from the occasional nightmares and panic attacks, which each of them had grown scarily used to over their many years together, life was good.
Of course, life isn’t easy and it isn’t without its rough patches. And yet, Finney Blake knew that they could get through it all no matter how much the world threw at them. He squeezed his hand tighter around Robin’s before leading him into the apartment, his smile brighter than ever.
No, life wasn’t easy, but it was good.
What more could he ask for?
