Chapter Text
Monday 9:34AM
Finney breathed heavily as he set his books down on his desk, the journey from 1st to 2nd period always had him panting from the two floors he had to go up. He prayed for a good seat but he always got there with less than a minute to spare. The sound of someone trying to argue quietly and then books being slid off a desk caught his attention.
What really caught his attention was the fact that there was Vance sitting beside the now empty desk looking down, did he just make that kid leave his seat? Either way, Finney made his way to the back where Vance was sitting.
As he was sitting down, the bell rang making the teacher groan and sluggishly stand up from behind the desk.
“Hi Finney,” Vance kept his gaze down at his doodles. They have hung out before as a group, usually because of Bruce, so it wasn’t super out of place when he said hi.
“Hey Vance,” Finney smiled at him before turning his attention to the front. Letting out a small here when his name was called.
When the teacher got to Vance’s name, he paused but didn’t expect to hear the deep ‘here’ from the back of the class, “Mr. Hopper, I thought pigs would fly before I marked you present.” The teacher chuckled to himself and Finney looked over at Vance who was smiling to himself.
Tuesday 11:12AM
“Ugh!” Robin groaned as him, Bruce, and Finney all walked to lunch together. That was the best part of this school year, they finally shared lunch. Down side, it was the early lunch. “Lunch is supposed to be at least a noon thing, this is still breakfast!”
Bruce laughed, wrapping an arm around Robin’s shoulders. They went through the line like always, switching conversation topics quickly. Luckily, they never had to worry about their small, square table being taken as everyone followed a silent assigned seating.
They sat down in their usual spots, Bruce and Robin on one side and Finney on the other. They continued their discussion on which baseball team was the best and worst until Bruce broke the silence, “I-uhm hope you guys don’t mind but I invited someone to sit with us today.”
As if on cue, Vance’s tray slapped down beside Finney. “Oh hey Vance!” Finney couldn’t help the smile that creeped across his face and the slight blush.
“Sup Vance,” Robin reached over with a dap up followed by Bruce, Finney never got that little handshake every boy did.
Conversation flowed easily among the four, Finney just happy to not sit alone for once. Their knees bumped a few times and Finney swore he saw Vance blush each time but he wasn’t sure.
Wednesday 1:36PM
This was Finney’s favorite time of the day, free period. He always spent his time in the library reading up on any space book he could find. That’s where he was right now, on some bean bag tucked away from people reading the latest space magazine. He was just thankful he could convince the librarian to keep getting these. (The librarian just thankful that someone enjoys reading).
Finney mentally groaned at the presence approaching, he liked his solitude. He looked up confused when the presence sat down beside him. It was Vance, this was the third day that Vance had come to school and the second day they all sat at lunch together, and the first day Vance approached him outside of class or lunch.
“Vance,” Finney whispered, brain gears turning. “Uhm hey, what are you doing here?”
Vance looked sheepishly at the floor, “You know…library stuff.” He leaned over and pulled out a random book. The History of Yarn and its Uses. He mentally groaned at the book he chose but still cracked it open and started reading, he was too far in now.
Finney smiled so hard it almost hurt, “oh, super interested in yarn?”
“Ohhh yeah, I couldn’t stop thinking about where yarn came from and how under-appreciated it really is.” The two boys giggled to each other, earning a shush from somewhere in the library. That only made them want to laugh harder.
Finney patted the spot beside him on the wide bean bag and Vance happily took it. Their bodies pressed tight against each other, shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh, foot to foot. A soft smile on both their faces as Finney opened his magazine for both of them to look at.
Thursday 2:55PM
The rowdy students had calmed down by now, so Finney finally left the library to go gather his stuff from his locker. He waited for people to leave so he could ride his bike safely back home. Some of those students should not have a license.
He didn’t expect Vance to be standing by his locker, Finney usually didn’t see Vance after free period, just the next day at 2nd period math. A small smile found its way to Finney.
“Hey Vance,” Finney started to put in his combination code. “What are you doing here? Pretty much everyone has left.” His locker creaked open and he grabbed his bookbag, stopping to think what homework was due the next day.
“I-uhm-I was,” Vance seemed nervous, digging his heel into the ground and picking at the skin around his fingers. Bruce and Robin walked by hand in hand, Robin nodding his head at Finney and Bruce giving Vance an encouraging thumbs up. Once they paced, Vance took a deep breath. “Would you want a ride home? From me?”
Finney’s heart skipped a beat and a blush deepened on his cheeks. (Vance was struggling not to kiss those blushed cheeks). “That would be cool,” Finney tried to play it nonchalantly but the high pitched voice gave him away.
Vance waited for Finney to gather all his stuff and they walked out shoulder to shoulder laughing about the random pieces of drama they had heard. Even rumors that Vance has heard about himself, some made him shake his head in disbelief.
“Someone really said you became a father to twins?” Finney laughed so hard, he needed to catch his breath. His laughing stopped when he saw his bike. “Oh, I’m sorry Vance.”
Vance snapped his head at Finney who was just staring at his lone bike left on the rack. “Don’t worry about that,” he jogged over and picked the lock around the bike and started pushing it to his vehicle. “I have a truck, you dork.”
Finney felt like he was on top of the world for a second and slightly scared at how fast Vance could pick the lock around his bike. He watched as Vance put his bike in the bed of the truck, muscles flexing openly from his cut off jean jacket. Thank God for hot days.
The ride there was smooth, some rock band playing softly in the background as the wind flowed inside the truck live a river. Finney noticed Vance taking the long way home but didn’t dare say a single word about it.
Friday 2:54PM
Vance was waiting by his locker again, Finney began to wonder how much Vance would become part of his daily routine: they walked from second period together, they sat lunch together, and read in the library during free period together. (Finney wasn’t complaining for sure).
“Hey dork,” Vance reached out and ruffled Finney’s soft curls. “Ride again today?”
Finney looked at him with a sad smile, “Fridays are the day that Robin and I walk together, we usually go to the store then one of ours.” Vance should have recognized this because Robin and Finn always come to the same store that Vance played pinball at every Friday. He didn’t realize it at the time.
“Well, have you seen that new Indiana Jones movie is out?”
Finney groaned, “oh my gosh, yes! I want to see it so bad but-”
“There’s a showing tonight at 8:30 so I’ll get you at 7:45,” Vance smirked and just walked off. His confident strides concealed his beating heart and shaking hands. “See you then, Finney!” he called out before rounding the corner.
Finney stood there dumbfounded for a minute…did Vance just ask him out on a date?