i'll only pick you - brance [COMPLETED]

Sixteen

3 months later...
Vance watched as a thin paper, cut in half, fell from his locker. He glanced around, wondering who had put it there. Nobody seemed to pay him any mind, so he bent down and picked it up. In bold, black letters the note read: Can we talk? I'm sorry - Bruce.

Seeing that made Vance's stomach drop. Bruce wanted to talk? After weeks of not talking? After weeks of ignoring Vance's existence other than the occasional glance or stare? It sort of made Vance mad, actually. Why not earlier? Why now?

At the bottom of the note it said; guys locker room during lunch if u want to talk. Vance sighed, knowing he should go. He really didn't want to though.

***

"Where's Bruce?" Robin asked, looking at Billy who was inhaling his burger. Billy shrugged his shoulders carelessly. Robin, unsatisfied with that answer, stood up, deciding he was going to find him himself.

"Chill out, man," Billy told him in between bites. "He could've gone out to lunch."

Robin huffed at him. "I'm still just gonna look for him. Just incase." And with that Robin left the cafeteria in search of Bruce.

Meanwhile..

Vance glanced around the empty halls of the school before walking into the locker room. It was the same as it was when he was a wee little freshman taking weights class. In his daze of nostalgia—if he could even call it that, Vance failed to notice Bruce standing to his right. It started him, of course, but he didn't let it show.

"So...you wanted to talk," Vance spoke awkwardly after a moment of silence.

Bruce nodded, and it was clear he had something on his mind. "I just want to start off with I'm sorry," he started, unable to maintain eye contact with the blond in front of him. "And I wanted to say that I handled everything horribly and I just freaked out because being like...that...with you felt so wrong 'cause I was all scared about Georgia and everything, but it felt so right because I like being with you. I liked being in your arms. I liked how you made me feel."

Vance stood there, just taking it all in. Even if several emotions were coursing through his body, he still managed to hold a small smile.

"And you were right," Bruce admitted awkwardly, "Georgia was cheating on me. And I knew that too, but I just was scared, man. Georgia's nasty. She spreads rumors about everyone for everything. Plus, my parents love her and truly believe I'm gonna marry her someday." He paused for a second to catch his breath before continuing to spill out his feelings. "I'm sure you must be angry with me now, wondering why I want to talk just now, but I just want to say that I just want to leave this whole conversation off on a good note."

Vance stared at Bruce, still processing it all. "Yeah, I'm pissed that you waited all this time to talk," Vance told Bruce, "but I'm glad you wanted to even talk at all. I've sort of missed you."

Bruce suddenly hugged Vance, knocking him back a bit. Vance just hugged back, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the long awaited embrace. "This doesn't mean I fully forgive you yet, dickhead," he whispered into Bruce's ear.

"I get it," Bruce mumbled back, just happy to be in Vance's arms again. "And I'm sorry for leaving you kind of alone," he mumbled, "I mean unless you hung out with Maddox and Jeremiah."

"No, I mean, I had those two," Vance explained as he looked into Bruce's eyes and held his waist. "But your orchestra friend Alice was sort of a help, and that Finney kid was there almost the whole time."

"I'm glad they were there for you," Bruce said, putting a hand on Vance's cheek. "And, again, I'm so sorry I was a complete asshole."

Vance smiled softly, "it's alright." For a second Bruce stared deeply into Vance's eyes before pulling him into a sweet, long awaited kiss. Bruce placed his hands on the back of Vance's head, entangling his fingers with Vance's blond curls. His hands felt in the right place, being with Vance felt right, everything in that moment felt right.

As they continued to kiss Vance pulled Bruce closer, turning them and softly pressing Bruce against the lockers. Vance felt happy, happier than he had felt in a while. He was happy to be with Bruce again, he was happy to know how Bruce felt, he was just happy. But he knew at some point he was going to have to deal with David. He was going to have to deal with Georgia and Robin too, but right now he just kept his focus on Bruce.

Click! The quiet sound of the outside door opening rang through the locker room, but of course Vance and Bruce chose to ignore it. Until...

"What the hell!?"