all day and all of the night - brance

robin is the best, worst wingman

Bruce stops in front of him and Vance thinks he's about to plan a fucking murder. He's going to get Robin back for this. Vance is ready for many things but trying to flirt was not one of them. Robin was his best friend so of course he knew that. The man is even more beautiful up close, ethereal is a better way to put it. Once again, Vance isn't religious but if anything would make him believe in god and angels and all that shit. It would be Bruce.

"Hey, so your friend over there said you wanted to ask me something."
Really, Robin took that plotting route. This is why Vance always has to help him plot, he's so bad at it. So, now what does he say? Vance could either be upfront and ask for his number. Or he could try and make up something but what the hell would he even make up, he knows there's really no point in lying about it anyways. And who the hell would he even be if he decided to pussy out. He's no coward and that's for damn sure. So, he might as well. He'll be damned if he takes as long as Robin and Finney.

"Oh uh, I was wanting to ask for your number?"

Son of a bitch that was so awkward. He knew he was horrible at that stuff but that just proved it. It sounded so awkward and forced, and like a question, which made him seem like he didn't even know what the fuck he was talking about. If Vance were him, he probably would've laughed in his own damn face.

Apparently, though, luck was on his side. Bruce smiled big and it was the prettiest thing Vance has ever seen. The smile reached all the way to his eyes and the laugh lines suited him well. The smile was sweet and inviting; immediately enticing Vance and making him want to know more about the man.

"Hey, do you by chance have a pen and a piece of paper I could write it on."

"Shit,"

Vance pats down his pockets trying to find anything Bruce could write with. He finds a blue pen in his back pocket but he can't find anything to write with it on. Not even a damn receipt and Vance is the worst about that. He always shoves receipts in his pockets and forgets about them, so of course the one damn day he'd need them, he doesn't have them. He looks back up and makes eye contact with Bruce.

"I have a pen but I don't have anything you could write on."

Bruce thinks for a moment before he speaks.

"If you're alright with it, I could just write it on your arm?"

Motherfucker, why didn't he think of that. It was such a simple solution. God, he just knows Robin's gonna laugh at him later. It's fine though, Vance can always remind him about his first time meeting Finney. That'll be sure to get him to shut up.

Vance doesn't even bother responding, he just sticks his arm out and lets Bruce write on it. Bruce has his hand under Vance's arm, keeping it steady in place. The dark-haired boy's hand is callused; like he works with them all the time. Vance doesn't have much more time to wonder because soon enough he stops writing and puts the cap back on the pen. Vance pulls his arm back and studies the writing. The numbers are neatly scrawled on his arm. Vance isn't really used to seeing writing he can actually read aside from his own. Billy works for the newspaper as a reporter and always writes in shorthand and Vance is not learning how to read that shit. Robin's handwriting is like chicken scratch and just really fucking hard to read, especially with his dyslexia. And then Griffin, he can't even blame that on his dyslexia, it is just god-awful handwriting. Bruce's is different, it's almost like it's printed out. Vance wonders if he has a job where he learned to write like that or if it's always been the way he wrote.

He looks back up from his arm to see Bruce already looking at him. Instinctively, he moves his hand up to mess with his hair. He doesn't know what the fuck to say when someone's just looking at him. He figures Bruce is the same way considering now they're both just staring at each other in silence. It's not so much awkward, just really fucking silent. Vance catches Robin and Finney looking at them in his peripheral. He looks at Robin and as soon as they make eye contact, Robin starts talking to Finney. It's only a few seconds later when Finney calls out.

"Bruce, we're gonna have to leave if we wanna meet with Gwen on time. You know how she gets when we're late."

Bruce turns to Finney to nod before looking back at Vance. He smiles at Vance again.

"I guess I have to go. So, I'll talk to you later?"

Vance notices that it comes out more like a question like he doesn't know whether or not they'll talk again. It seems strange that Bruce doesn't think Vance will use his number even though he's the one who asked for it. Personally, he thinks anyone would be really damn stupid if they didn't talk to Bruce. Maybe Vance is getting ahead of himself with that assumption. And he's usually not one to get ahead of himself or assume. So, let's just say it's been a really fucking weird day. But he's not sure why he thinks that. There's just something about the man in front of him that seems trustworthy. So, to add on to all the weird shit happening today, he decides that he'll go with his gut and trust him.

"Yeah, talk to you later."

Bruce smiles at him again before going off to join Finney and walking out of the store. Before he can even turn back around, Robin is already at his side with his arms crossed. Vance hears him suck in air through his teeth.

"Man, that was painful to watch."

"And whose damn fault is that?"

Robin throws his hands up in a false surrender.

"I was trying to do you a favor, asshole."

"Robin, you plot like a fucking middle schooler."

Robin's mouth drops open and he puts a hand on his chest. He quickly closes his mouth and shakes his head.

"Can't believe you'd say that. You got his number didn't you?"

Vance nods and before he can even talk, Robin interrupts.

"Exactly. I don't wanna hear shit about it."

"But-"

Robin slams his hand over Vance's mouth.

"Nope."

Robin waits a minute before speaking again.

"You done?"

Vance rolls his eyes and Robin takes his hand off Vance's mouth. Vance knows he very easily could've smacked Robin's hand down but Robin was at least a little bit right. So he'd let Robin have some satisfaction.

"Robin, you're aware that you didn't have to make them leave, right?"

"I know, but they had to leave anyways. They're meeting up with Finney's sister."

Vance nods, well at least he knows Robin didn't chase them off for nothing. That does remind him though. He turns to look more at Robin.

"Hey, did you get the date?"

He doesn't even bother trying to conceal his laughter once he sees the look that hits his friend's face. Robin's face had gone completely slack. The string of curses that followed the look was even funnier. Vance takes that as a hard no. That bastard probably got so caught up in trying to fuck with Vance that he completely forgot about what he was trying to do. Serves him right. Robin can always get a date with Finney later on, it's not like Finney only ever came here once in a blue moon. He was here every other damn day. And anyone would be damn blind if they couldn't see that Finney was just as infatuated as Robin. It wouldn't be difficult, Vance held no sympathy. He was thriving right now, it's the funniest thing he's seen the entire week.

"Quit laughing, asshole."

It's funny how Robin thinks that'll work. But Vance eventually calms back down and goes back to the box to stock. He knows he's not the only one who's going to find it funny. Billy's gonna laugh and Griffin's going to make fun of Robin as soon as he tells them. And while they're occupied doing that, Vance is going to sneak away and call Bruce. He knew his friends would try and eavesdrop or interfere with the call so he had to time it. And what better way than when they're occupied making fun of each other?