Falling for Trouble - brance [COMPLETED]

Uh Oh - IV

"Ow!" Vance winced, struggling to hold still as Bruce roughly rubbed a towel under his nose to dry up the blood. He watched as Bruce took it away and cleaned it off under a sink. "I'm telling you it wasn't that bad, Bruce."

Bruce huffed, "you're missing another goddamn tooth, Vance."

Vance went quiet as his tongue felt the now vacant spot in his mouth. He just stopped talking, knowing if he said anything else Bruce was bound to snap at him. He knew his talking was frustrating the other.

After Bruce was done cleaning the blood of Vance and patching up a few injuries he silently left the bathroom, no words uttered to Vance. Vance bit his tongue unsure of what to do. Deep down he knew that Bruce was upset that he fought Robin.

Vance sighed deeply, standing up and looking into the mirror. He smiled, showing his teeth. He frowned at the missing tooth. And how there was a black eye forming that was really starting to hurt. Now that Vance thought about it, everything hurt. It kinda made him mad, but he was more sad than anything.

He left the bathroom, heading to Bruce's room, when he heard voices. "I know, Robin," Bruce said.

"Vance is a no good, spoiled, attention seeking whore," Robin's voice rang through what sounded to be a phone. Vance felt his stomach drop. He knew Robin hated him, but did he really have to say that to Bruce.

It sounded as if Bruce was hesitating before he said, "I know he is."

Vance froze, shock and horror pulsing through his veins. He didn't feel angry for once, yet he just felt horrified. He thought Bruce was his first friend. He really wished it weren't true what Bruce had said. "Then why do you walk with him after school?" Robin asked.

"We walk the same way, but his house is closer to the school than mine so we don't walk much together," Bruce lied.

Robin huffed, "and what about you giving him a cigarette? Even smoking your own."

Bruce, again, hesitated before answering, "when I skipped with Moose he made me smoke. Then after school that day Vance offered me a cigarette."

Vance couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did Bruce really think that about Vance? "God, this is why I hate Vance," Robin groaned.

"I know," Bruce said, now with no hesitation. That kinda hurt.

"Hey, about you walk to my place tomorrow? My uncle can fix us up some food and we can watch some TV," Robin offered.

"Sure," Bruce said. Soon Vance could hear the sound of Bruce clicking the phone on its holder, and he waited a moment before knocking. "Come in," Bruce's voice was more monotone.

Vance walked in and awkward silence fell between them. He just sighed and went to lay in the hammock. "Hey, I can't walk with you and you can't stay tomorrow cause I have to stay after school studying and then I have to go somewhere with family," Bruce lied right through his teeth.

"Okay," Vance mumbled. All the emotions hitting him at once started to make him drowsy.

"You okay?" Bruce asked in a caring tone.

"Mhm, just tired," Vance replied with a small nod. "I..still feel bad for fighting Robin," he said, but reiterated his opposition, "no, I feel bad that it upset you."

"It didn't upset me," Bruce said, but now there was heavy hesitation.

"Okay," Vance sighed. And that was it, the two fell back into the same awkward silence as before.

Vance quickly fell asleep right as Bruce started to read aloud, and he slept for what felt like five minuets but was actually 4 hours. He was only awoken by Bruce, who was softly shaking him. "This is gonna sound weird, but you need to lay in bed with me," Bruce whispered.

Vance, groggily sat up, "huh?"

"So if my parents check they don't just immediately see you laying in the hammock," Bruce said, nodding at the missing door. Vance tiredly got up, following Bruce to his bed. They both got under the covers, huddled close to make it less obvious there's two people. It was quiet for a moment before Bruce whispered, "why did you and Robin even start fighting?"

"He said I was burning myself with cigarettes for attention," Vance whispered, tiredly wrapping his arms around Bruce. Bruce examined the blonde's circular burns. "If I fucking burned myself I would hide it," Vance growled, now a little upset, "i don't fucking burn myself."

Bruce just hummed, "so..where'd the burns come from?"

"None of your fucking business, Yamada," Vance said coldly. Bruce just silently nodded, feeling a weird achy feeling in his chest. "And then when we were leaving he stormed out and acted like I had a problem," he started to rant on and on, "like..I don't have a problem! He does! He fucking hates me for no fucking reason, everyone does!" He wanted to start shouting, but he knew better.

Bruce just hummed before closing his eyes, going to sleep. Vance huffed, siting up. He looked down at Bruce and bit on his inner cheek. He didn't know how to feel. Bruce seemed so caring, but what he had said to Robin. Bruce was making Vance feel emotions that weren't anger, and Vance had always yearned for that, but now Bruce was making him feel conflicted. Bruce still made him feel comfortable and happy, but after hearing what he had heard him say to Robin he felt sad and a little angry.

And then he heard sounds coming from down the hall. "I heard something in Bruce's room, Mark," a woman's voice whispered. Vance felt his heart drop and he quickly grabbed his shoes and gray jacket and fled through the window. He didn't even realise he left his switchblade, shirt, and lighter, which were thankfully hidden in Bruce's hammock.

Somehow Vance made it out without a sound. When at the sidewalk he slid his shoes on and quickly made his mind on where he was going. Of course, it was nearing the end of fall, so it was getting cold. Really cold. As he walked he almost came completely unaware of the outside world.

Until he heard a, "hey kid!" Vance looked over to a man with tanned skin, drinking a beer on the front porch with..Finney Blake standing with him. Finney looked shocked to see him. "Are you okay? It's kinda cold out!" The man said, standing and walking over to Vance.

Vance stepped back, unsure of the man. Due to his father he always kept cautious around older men. "I'm just going next door..sir," Vance mumbled, trying to sound defensive.

"Vance Hopper!" A voice yelled after a loud police siren blared for a second. Vance turned to see the man he was looking for. Officer Jack Brown approached the two. "Is Vance causing you trouble, Mr.Arellano?" He asked putting a hand on Vance's shoulder.

Vance's stomach dropped at the sound of that name and he huddled close to Officer Brown, eyes widening. "No, no," Mr.Arellano shook his head. "I just saw him walking down the sidewalk. He looked lost..and look at him, he's missing his shirt and he looks rough."

"Are you okay, Vance?" Officer Brown asked, "what are you doing on this side of town?"

Vance hesitated, glancing at the man and then Finney. "I'm..fine," Vance mumbled, "I just..can't stay at my 'friend's' house anymore."

"Are you saying you need to stay at my place with me?" Officer Brown asked. Vance quickly nodded. The officer sighed, "I'm sorry for the trouble, Mr.Arellano. Have a nice night."

"You too, officer Brown," Mr.Arellano nodded, walking back to Finney, who he took inside. Soon Officer Brown took Vance inside next door.

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Ughhh this is such a shit chapter 😭
but whatever 🤷‍♀️

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