BRANCE + RINNEY

Four Boys, A Home

part 2.
———
"Finn! We need to go!" Vance grabbed at Finn's wrists, trying his best to get the younger boy to stand so he could escape with the others. "Vance. Someone has to stay so the others won't get caught." Vance shook his head, laughing nervously as he heard familiar footsteps echo on the floor above them. "Finn, please. Please I can't leave you here. I can't-" Finn looked him in the eye, nodding his head silently as the footsteps began to move quickly. "Go Vance. They're both waiting on you." Vance wiped at his eyes, shaking his head. "They're waiting on you too Finn." Finn smiled at him, hugging him softly before pushing him away. "Go Vance. Now. I'll be okay." Vance stood up, looking back and forth between the stairs and the boy on the floor. "Go!" Vance flinched at the loudness of the other boy's voice, looking at him once more before he ran up the stairs and disappeared with the other two boys.

Finn smiled, knowing that his best friends had escaped.
Even if he wasn't able to.
———
Finn's eyes shot open, tears coating the skin of his face as his heart beat loudly in his chest and through his ears. That's why they looked so familiar.

Finn sat up, wiping at his face quickly as the door of his room opened. Albert stepped through the doorway, a soft smile on his face as he stepped towards the younger boy. Finn didn't look at him, feeling scared for the first time in several years as past information processed in his head.

"Finney? Were you crying?" Albert moved a hand towards the boy's face to wipe a stray tear, reeling back when the boy moved away from him. "Darling, what's wrong?" Finn shifted uncomfortably on the bed, the nickname not sitting right in his brain. "'m fine. I need to get ready for school." Albert stared down at him, a puzzled expression on his face. "You haven't eaten yet. Aren't you hungry?" Finn shook his head, desperately wanting nothing more than for the man to leave his room. Albert sighed but lifted himself off of the bed, walking slowly towards the door of the room to leave.

"Just- just know that I love you Finney. And, I'd never do anything to hurt you, okay? You can talk to me if anything's wrong."

Finn nodded his head at the man's words, facing towards the wall so he wouldn't have to look towards him. Albert sighed once more before closing the door behind himself, leaving Finn to finally be alone with his thoughts.
———
The car ride to school was silent. No matter how many times Albert tried to get the boy next to him to talk, nothing worked. When the car, at last, got to the school Finn was now attending, the boy got out without a word and slammed the door behind him. Albert frowned but pulled out of the parking lot nevertheless and down the street, leaving the boy alone once again.

Finn sighed, making his way to the entrance of the school. He didn't care to look for the other three boys, knowing they'd eventually find him at some point anyways. He needed some sort of plan. Some sort of idea that'd help him get the truth from Albert.

Finn flinched when a rough hand was placed upon his shoulder, slightly swaying him sideways as another person placed themselves on the side of him. "Hey Finn!" Finn nodded his head, offering the blonde next to him a tight smile. Vance cocked an eyebrow at the expression, glancing behind him to make sure his two other friends were there as well.

"Uh, I'm not the best at comforting people but I can sense something is wrong. Wanna talk about it?" Finn stopped walking and turned towards the three boys.

"Follow me."
——————
Finn led the three boys to an empty classroom, locking the door behind Robin as he was the one last to enter through the doorway.

The three boys stared at Finn, watching as he turned towards them with tear-filled eyes. "How did no one find out what happened to us?" Finn's voice was low, tainted with fear and sadness as he spoke. "How did- how did he never get caught? I've been there for- for years." Finn begun to sob, his hand covering his mouth to try and stifle the loud noises. The three boys stared at him, not knowing what to say or do.