BRANCE + RINNEY

upside down smile, thumbs up!

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Finn didn't know why it had happened.

Finn didn't know why it had happened to him.

It was raining.

He was upset.

He was there one minute, and gone the next.

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When Finn escaped from the basement, hands bloody and face in disarray, all he wanted was his friends. It didn't dawn on him that Gwen had him in her hold, fingers digging into his back as she pulled him close and her breath scratched at his paled skin. It didn't dawn on him that his father was apologizing, the faint stench of alcohol and peppermint on his tongue as he lied lied lied. Nothing quite dawned on him until he was in the hospital bed, screaming at nurses and doctors for three certain boys he just had to see.

He needed them.
He needed them.
He needed them.

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Finn was never social. If anything, he was antisocial. He only ever talked to Robin. Sometimes a few others, mainly for project purposes. It didn't matter to Finn that he didn't have a lot of friends. He only ever needed one.

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Vance approached Finn on his own. His expression was calm, the complete opposite of the one he normally wore.

He'd asked about something related to astronomy, having wanted to track down some constellation the following night.

Finn helped him. Not just by simply talking about it. Late in the day, after Terrance had gone to the pub and most likely passed out into his drunken state, when the sky was lit with stars and shadows from the moon, Finn went over to Vance's house.

They tracked down the constellation together.

Finn soon got the nickname 'little bear', originated from none other than the little dipper.

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Bruce had, as simple as it was, met Finn on the baseball field. Of course, they were pitted against each other.

The game went well, despite the last minute win from Bruce's team. Finn had congratulated him on it and Bruce had, in turn, called him peppermint. Courtesy of his 'mint arm'.

Robin got an earful of the match the following day.

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When Finn went missing, his boys went to look for him. Sure, Gwen had her dreams and she made sure to open her mouth about them. But she was only eleven. None of the boys would let her come, despite her fierce attitude towards it. They wouldn't let her get hurt.

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It took three weeks, only a few days away from an entire month, to find Finn.

The house he was held in was old, breaking down at the bones of concrete with each step taken around its walls.

There was a scream that came from inside it. They all thought it was Finn who had made the noise.

Vance wasted no time in busting down the front door, heavy footsteps thudding against the floor as he made his way into the home. Bruce and Robin were hot on his heels.

They all collectively stopped when they caught sight of Finn. He was crumpled on the floor, curled into himself with the body of a dead man laying next to him.

The police were called and Finn was put into an ambulance, unbeknownst of his friends who were put into a separate vehicle to follow him to the hospital.

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Robin felt like it was his fault. He blamed himself because if he had just paid Finn a little more attention, if he had just given him the time of day, maybe it would've never happened.

Bruce made sure to flick him on the forehead when he got too down.

Vance made sure to bear hug him, something Finn had taught, when he'd start to bring it up.

They got close during the time spent looking for their boy.

They were close, because of Finn.

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Finn could still feel everything that had happened to him.

He could still feel the touches, the hot breath tickling his face as he screamed screamed screamed.

He could feel everything and nothing at all.

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When Finn had come to terms with what the man had done to him, realized just how much it had made him hate himself, he told his friends.

Vance had stood up, ready to dig up a corpse, before getting tackled to the ground by Robin. He allowed it to happen, seeing as killing a dead man would solve nothing.

Bruce had wiped Finn's tears when he had started crying, a small smile on his face despite his body curling into itself with disgust and rage.

And although Finn wouldn't quite be the same again, he was happy in the moment.

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Finn had taken his time getting back into the regular gist of things.

He would take Gwen with him when he'd walk to the park, hold her hand in his when things seemed too loud.

He never talked to Terrance as much as he used to. He wasn't scared to anymore. He just never felt the need to.

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School hit Finn hard. He managed to have every class with at least one of his friends, which he found himself constantly smiling about.

He let his homework pile up, but then would do it in one sitting. Despite how it might seem, it managed to calm his brain.

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Finn's birthday had passed before he got taken.
He was still happy that he was able to spend Christmas with his friends and sister.

He wasn't one to expect gifts, but boy was he happy to get them.
He was gifted quite a lot, ranging from things between astronomy packs to collector edition books and cds.

He'd hugged all his friends, delivered a kiss to his sister's temple, and made a small toast.

"To a new year. A new year of us, life, and hopefully happiness. I love you guys, really."

Finn had been bear-hugged by Vance, tackled by Robin, kissed on the cheek by Bruce, and punched on the arm by his sister.

He loved it all.
He loved them all.

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authors note: i feel like i left a lot of what happened up to everyone's imagination. so, enjoy that :) love you guys <3.