Chapter Text
Robin was laying on the front yard of the place where he died.
The Galesburg Grabber's house.
He keeps coming here during the evenings after hanging out with the other ghost boys, for the past few weeks just laying down on the grass for a few hours as the sun set in front of his eyes. He doesn't know why he does, since visiting the place you literally died in is morbid, along with the fact that the other's stay as far away as possible.
Robin honestly found it peaceful.
Call him crazy, because he is. The voices in his head know it, but it really is relaxing laying on the grass and staring up at the sky, soaking in the silence and reflecting, like he used to on the roof of his trailer.
Anyways, he was laying there with his legs and his hair sprawled out, before faint humming of electricity was heard.
Robin looked around, before moving his gaze behind him to the window of the basement, where outlines of a light was seen. Which is fucking weird considering that no one has been in this house for the past 2 years.
Robin should get his friends. He already knew Vance would be at the Grab N Go and Bruce at the baseball field…
Though, Robin's gut told him that the light source had this friendly-like aura, and hey, he was already dead so what's the worst that could happen?
So, he went inside, and with hesitance, down the stairs of the basement. The place was cleaned of all blood and signs of pain they went through, the hallway that used to lead to the toilet was sealed off with a wall built in, and the mattress was gone.
It was just a bare room with only the black rotary wall phone Finney used to talk to them.
Yet now, in the very centre of the room was a floating ball of light the size of Robin's head, and Robin almost had to squint to look at it before his eyes adjusted to it rather quickly, 'Another ghost thing.' the voice of Bruce echoed in his head.
Robin took a few cautious steps to the light, before it flickered, and Robin froze, simply opting to watch as the light floated over to him, stopping a few feet away.
It chimed in greeting.
…Did Robin just understand that?
"Um…hi?" Robin greeted.
The voices at the back of his head chastised him for that one, laughing at him and rasping out a couple insults before silencing.
"Really Robin, talking to a light? You're maniacal, and you say I'm dumb?" a voice far too familiar to Billy's rasped.
Robin flushed, "I never called you dumb, cabrón!" he snapped, before running a hand along his face, facing the light again, "What do you want?" he asked, tone dull.
The light chimed again.
"To place my hand on you?" Robin tilted his head, "Why?"
A couple more chimes.
Robin blinked, not believing what he was hearing, "Repeat that."
Another two chimes.
"To go back in fucking time?" Robin drawled, eyes widening by a fraction and arms folding, "Why?"
More chiming, but this time Robin spoke along with it, albeit more slowly.
"So that I can save my friends and myself from the grabber?!" his eyes widened more, "I'm not capable of that!"
The light flickered, and Robin shook his head, "No, not happening. I'm happy with life now. Or death, whatever you wanna call it." and he turned around to leave, only to walk into the door.
Robin stepped back, appalled, "What the hell?!" he screeched, trying again while focusing more, only to walk into it again. Out of impulse and rage, he punched the door only for his bandaged fist to collide with the metal of the door, yet felt nothing at all. Robin then heard the light flicker behind him, and he whipped around with a wild expression, stomping over to it and glaring, "You maldito hijo de puta! Locking me in here, again?"
The light chimed more.
"I know I- fuck you." Robin spat, walking around the light and staring up at the window as the warm, orange and pink light from the sun setting poured down on him like a spotlight. Robin tucked the tuft of hair behind his ear, only for it to land next to his eye again.
It always did.
His hair had grown a lot during the past couple years, along with his height. He's 5'1 so far, not much compared to Finney who's already reached 5'4. His hair reached until below his arse, and the other boys liked the look so Robin kept it, sometimes braiding it with the help of Vance, and was pretty happy with it.
Robin turned to the light when it chimed, and growled, "I am fucking happy."
It then said something Robin needed to process.
You aren't. You have all of these friends, but you're missing one, one you care very deeply about. You also miss your family, and they do too. You deserve better than this path, so please my boy, accept this help I provide and give yourselves a chance to live again.
Robin paused, "I know you, don't I? Who are you?" he asked.
You will find out when the time comes, but for now, please trust me.
Robin took the information in, thoughts drifting to his friends.
He remembered Billy and Griffin, both claiming they didn't have any friends except for each other, but both had loving parents that they missed dearly. Thought about Bruce, who also had a loving family that he missed like hell despite trying to find positives every day. He also told them that the Yamada household just wasn't the same, still dull and empty.
Thought about Vance, who had a mother that he admitted he missed dearly to Robin when they were alone, and seeing her so alone and tired made him want to scream his lungs out.
Thought of his own little familia, and while he didn't have his papá due to him dying when going to Nam, or his mamá, who died of coronary heart disease because of her smoking so much after his papá's passing, he still had his tío and his hermana. They both just weren't the same either. His tío smoked a lot more than he normally would on occasions, and he just looked so much more tired and old, a large contrast to the man he was before.
And Maria, his sweet, lovable aroace sister, who dreamed to be an architect when she grew up, wanting to go to college in the UK, only to shut out that dream because she didn't want to leave the last of her family behind in this shitty town. The fact that she also stayed to be closer to Robin made him feel guilt every time.
Finally that left Finney, Finn. Beautiful, sweet, perfect Finn. He quit playing baseball, and while his home life and life at school improved, he looked so dull and still alone. Robin was still proud of him, because the boys at school practically feared him, while the girls seemed mode bold and attracted, because apparently killing a serial killer and child molester just does that.
Robin wasn't all that surprised when Finney rejected most of the girls, however he was stunned when Finney rejected one girl in particular: Donna.
Fucking Donna! The girl Finney was rambling about and had a crush on for 2 years, only for him to reject her!
Robin still remembers the words that Finney said when he did.
I thought I liked you, back in 6th grade till 8th grade. But I've come to realize that it never was you, not really. It was someone else, and still is. Even though they’re long gone now, I can't move on from them, I love them too much to do that. And I can't just do that to you.
Robin didn't process the rest of the conversation, but at the end of it Donna told Finney she'd see him in class with a smile, and Finney smiled back, so apparently it worked out, which was a relief. At least she didn't bitch about it like some of the others Finney turned down.
Robin briefly wonders if he was that person Finney was talking about. He didn't specify what gender 'they' were, and he said they were gone. But he'd shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind, like he was now as he turned back to the light with a frown.
"How far will I be going back?"
March 15th, 1978.
Robin nodded, looking away. It was December 15th, 1980 now, and he was 16 from what he still remembers. Meaning he'd be 14 again when he goes back, which is kind of a shame because he liked his current look. Even though there was blood from the scars, he looked badass. Robin also noted that the date was also a few days before Griffin's abduction.
It was also a shame that he'd have to work to gain these wonderful friends he has again, but…
"Can I have a few minutes?" Robin asked the light, which chimed a yes.
Robin paced the room then, gathering his thoughts.
He felt so fucking scared, because this was a huge leap, and what if it doesn't work? What if he fails them again, or what if it ends up worse?
Still, it was still a chance. A chance to save these boys and himself to have their lives back, a chance to reunite broken families, a chance to reunite with his own, a chance to tell Finney Blake that Robin loves him, and as always loved him ever since they met.
He stopped in front of the makeshift spotlight from the window, pink light continuing to pour down on him as the voices started to rasp. He screwed his eyes shut, staring down at his shoes as he dug his fingernails into the skin of his palm.
No feeling at all.
As usual.
"Joder." he whispered to the voices, that only rasped louder.
Robin couldn't take it anymore, and out of this shitty thing called impulse, he punched himself, head lolling to the side as his bandaged fist impacted with his cheek. He ignored the light chiming rapidly in worry, in favor of noting the fact that voices stopped, but there was probably some kind of mark on the spot he punched.
"Hijo de puta." he murmured, looking up again.
The colors from the window looked different now, sky having shades of pinks with some shades of purple now joining. It looked similar to what it was before, but also quite different. Maybe Robin could do that with his life, alter a few things but also keep things similar to how they are now.
Does that even make sense?
Whatever.
He turned to the light then, determination seeping into his exausted posture, "Fine, you got me. Let's do this shit." he spoke as he moved closer to the light.
The light chimed excitedly, and Robin hesitated after holding his hand out, but after taking a deep breath, he plunged his hand onto the light. Brightness covered his vision, and Robin watched as the walls and floor of the room got coated in the light.
His vision faded to black after that.