Keeping this one bc I forgot I can just edit chapters *insert buff arm emoji*

He lost his rhythm long ago, whatever prayer he was supposed to be reciting lost in the abyss he calls a brain. His thoughts in favor of thinking about the boy around his age sat across from him. He can hear the rain pattering against the stained glass, his hands are still clasped as he searches for something else to think about while the faint words in the form of prayers are being muttered, whispered, around him.

The rain patters against stained glass, his hands stay clasped, words being muttered around him.

He lost his rhythm long ago, whatever prayer he was supposed to be reciting lost in the abyss he calls a brain. His distraction is a boy around his age, Finney learned to read lips when he was younger because his mom had temporary hearing loss and he picked it up because it seemed easier than sign language when he was eight.

Granted, the reading use is useless when you aren't the one with hearing loss, eight year old Finney didn't really pick up on that. His mom still appreciated the effort, though, so it's the thought that counts?

Which, he lost the skill a bit ago, but it's coming back in full force as the other's lips part around silent words meant for no one but Finney. Some are not eligible, possibly a different language but he can't get himself to dwell on the possibility for long since Gwen's tapping his shoulder for him to get up.

"Who are you death staring?" Gwen asks, whispering so their parents don't overhear from their stance just a few feet to the right. Or left? Finney never could tell the directions easily. "There was a guy, he started it," Finney replies, matching the whispering tone. "Finn, you can't blame everything on five-year-olds," Gwen sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose at her brother's antics. "No, Gwen- he was our age," Finney corrects, he doesn't death stare children anymore, and he's offended Gwen thinks otherwise.

Gwen pauses before facing her brother properly.

"Someone willingly looked at you?" Gwen questions, sounding genuinely curious like this information is just absolutely shocking news. "Haha, very funny," Finney mocks, rolling his eyes. "No, but, seriously. He wasn't even praying, I swear, he was just staring at me," Finney confides, being a gay teenager isn't easy and he is hurt that Gwen is poking fun. "Were you praying?" Gwen questions, raising an eyebrow.

Finney opens and closes his mouth, "Well– No, but I don't see how that's even hardly relevant," Finney responds, turning his body away from his sister but keeping his gaze focused on her. ""Wonderful answer, what happened to being all goody-two-shoes?" Gwen asks, curious.

Finney doesn't answer, just moves to go catch up with Griffin who started on his way out of the church already.

"I hate that new guy," Finney confesses to Griffin, accepting the arm that gets loosely slung around his shoulders. "Rob?" Griffin inquires. "Yeah, you know him?" Finney replies. "He's the new pastor's nephew, our age, and he seems sweet. What's giving the ick this time?" Griffin asks, he's used to Finney making assumptions about people rather quickly but this one he didn't even get a word in to.

Finney gathers it all up.

"He just gave me the stink eye, doesn't seem very sweet to me," Finney settles, deciding if he went through with saying everything then Griffin might accuse him of jealousy. Or worse, a crush.

Griffin hums in acknowledgment, staying silent for a moment.

"Well, maybe, just maybe, you gave it to him first? Because you have a habit of doing that," Griffin attempts to reason, and Finney barely even scratches the surface of that idea before he's turning it down. "Nah, I've gotten better about it, I wasn't," Finney replies, he's not lying. He didn't.

Griffin just clicks his tongue before finding a new topic to talk about.

—--------------------------------------

A hand touches the small of his back before disappearing as soon as it had arrived, just a ghost of what once was. He wasn't even cold before, but now his skin feels empty, cold, and alone. The warmth the faceless stranger provided being stolen.

"Let me just move right past you," A voice whispers into his ear, the phantom of hot breath leaving his skin tingly. Then the owner is retreating back into the small crowd that gathers for Sunday mass.

He's barely religious anymore, he doesn't follow nearly enough commandments to qualify as a proper Christian, he just comes for Gwen since she won't ever go alone. And Griffin likes the sense of community and typically shows up with them.

He couldn't today though, he has a date with Billy and Vance.

And his music taste would for sure get him sent to Hell alone, he's sure Chase Atlantic and 3OH!3 aren't the cleanest versions of songs. Maybe Kidz Bop would be more fitting for a young man, like himself.

It's not a very formal mass this week, it's more of an introduction for the new pastor and his nephew. Or his priest? He can never remember.

Which is why when everyone is still standing around the priest is coming up on the modest stage and a teenage boy is following suit.

He doesn't look like the boy Finney remembers from last week, because last week he wore a white button-up and black jeans. Semi-formal. This week, he's being watched in black ripped jeans and that one Nirvana graphic t-shirt. With the melting smiley face. And jewelry. Lots of it. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, you name it, he's wearing it.

He looks like if Vance successfully pulled off the 'alt' look.

And he is.

Pulling it off, Finney means.

He looks like he's a practicing witch. Or satanist, even. Maybe even a boy band, in all honesty.

"This is my nephew, Robin," Their pastor introduces, Robin giving a wave with a small smile. "I hope you'll all welcome him with open arms, and ignore his outfit. I used up all of my free pick outfit cards yesterday," Their priest laughs, and Robin playfully rolls his eyes. "Thanks, Dad . Really feelin' the love," Robin says, putting a hand to his chest.

And it gives Finney all of thirty seconds to study what each one, the rings, is, he's wearing what looks to be nine on that one hand alone.

Ones a crown, one is just a ring of skulls, another is just a simple silver circle, and then-

His hand is moving and his eyes follow the movement till his hand is behind his back.

Robin looks at him, smiles, then looks back to the general crowd.

Is this what fangirls at concerts feel like? Because if so, he gets it.

"Bro, these crackers are fire-" Griffin comes up by his side, shoving a cracker into his mouth and bumping into him a bit. "Where the fuck- sorry," Finney apologizes, catching his breath from the sudden surprise presence. "Billy started on this 'I rEaLlY lOvE yOu BoTh' bull, and y'know your boy isn't about to get proposed to on a Sunday ," Griffin explains, eating another cracker.

Finney looks over his friend, his eyes are a little bloodshot, and he's eating crackers and calling them 'fire'.

"What do you have on you?" Finney questions, and Griffin's eyes widen a bit before he's reaching in his pocket and holding up a tube, lighter, and an unlabeled mostly opaque black plastic baggie. "These," Griffin answers, and he is so, so, glad that no one is paying attention to them.

"Bathroom, let's go," Finney says, pushing Griffin a bit who shoves the things back into his jacket.

Once they reach the bathroom Griffin looks around before instructing Finney to lock the door. To which he does and throws the unlabeled bag in his direction, and Finney actually catches something for once.

He opens up the seal and is greeted by a faint smell he can't assign a label toward, and some golden foil that has a mini cookies and cream bar inside of it.

He pops a little piece of it into his mouth and Griffin laughs when Finney grimaces at the flavor. Cookies and cream hasn't ever really been his thing, if we're being honest.

"I love you," Finney tells Griffin, wrapping his arms around his small friend and ignoring the protests and complaints that fall from the other's lips.

—--------------------------------------

"So, how did proposal two go?" Finney asks, Billy agreed to come to church with him today since Griffin and Vance went off to go people watch at the zoo. "Great, he said yes. And, you're close with him, does he feel excluded or anything?" Billy replies, softening just a bit. "No, dude, he's happy for you two. If he felt upset or excluded, he'd communicate that. You guys have been at this a while, have a little faith," Finney tells him, letting Billy kiss his forehead with a 'Thank you, really'.

Those three have no idea what the word personal space means, he swears.

Billy says he's gonna run to the bathroom really quickly, and Finney tells him where it is when asked about it.

Then a hand is on his waist with another going to muffle his noise of surprise.

"Hey," The same voice that belonged to the last guy who surprised him randomly greets. "Hi," Finney replies once the hand is moved off of his mouth. "You come here often?" Robin asks, spinning him around so Finney's facing him. "Yep, every week," Finney replies, unimpressed.

Robin nods in defeat, accepting the loss but moving on rather quickly.

"So, ever think about coming to Wednesday brunch?" Robin inquires, glancing down to their feet before back up at Finney. Finney does the same, and moves his feet to point a different direction then where Robin's are, he's not going to feed into Robin's foot fetish. "Why?" Finney replies, the answer is no. "You should! You'd like it, nothing religious, and it's basically just eating while talking crap about other people," Robin says, and Finney nods slowly.

Sounds...interesting, at the least.

—--------------------------------------

Finney is, sadly, in church on a Wednesday with his friends acting like heathens.

He decided to go to one of the Wednesday brunches, inviting Billy, Griffin, and Vance because that sounds like a great idea.

"Look at her outfit! She looks horrendous, " Griffin instructs, pointing at the lady in question. "Oh my god- look at her face ," Vance points out, pointing in the same general direction as Griffin. "Look at her shoes," Billy lowers his sunglasses, they may be indoors but leave it to those three to make every outing the most dramatic.

"You're all helpless," Finney sighs, tired of his friends. "At least we get bitches," Griffin defends, and Vance rolls his eyes. "My boyfriend's fiancé gets bitches, you heard it here first guys," Vance jokes.

Robin comes up to their table in the corner, interrupting their conversation. ( they were back to insulting the lady that's actually three ladies )

"How're you all enjoying brunch?" Robin asks, standing next to Finney who is sitting down. "I'm tired," Vance admits, slinking over to Billy's open arms. Griffin sips at his iced tea, ignoring his fiancé and boyfriend who refuse to ever stop doing their PDA.

"It's been good, how about you?" Finney replies, offering a small smile. "I'm good, thanks for asking," Robin smiles back. "You should sit with us," Billy tells him, gesturing to the open chair next to Vance. Bruce canceled at the very last millisecond, and that was his chair. And Billy is taking advantage of his absence.

"Oh, uhm, I-" Robin tries to turn the offer down, getting interrupted by Griffin. "Just sit down."

Robin lets out a string of 'fine''s before sitting down next to Finney and going in his phone.

"You're really never without that thing," His mom sighs, messing up his hair a bit before running off.

"She sounds fifty," Vance admits after a moment, smiling with his eyes shut when Billy's hands move down to his waist. "You look fifty," Griffin mumbles, taking a swig of his tea. "Babe!" Vance exclaims, offended.

He only has the one crease from furrowing his brows too much, he isn't old .

"Hey, Rob, what's your number?" Griffin questions, pulling up his own phone. "Eight seven six zero three zero ni- wait, why?" Robin replies, getting most of the way through the number before stopping himself. "Adding you to a group chat," Griffin offers as an explanation unwilling to delve further into his reasonings for his sudden question. Robin just nods and Griffin sends an expeirmental message that makes everyone's phone buzz or ding, including Robin's.

"Nice," Griffin comments, setting his phone on the table before kicking his legs up into Vance's lap.

—--------------------------------------

Finney tried sleeping, he did, but his phone kept buzzing on his night stand and it's three am- so he know he shouldn't even be thinking about talking to people, he knows what the rules are, but he can't resist the constant reminder of people just being a few clicks and taps away.- so he probably shouldn't, but he does.

Y'all remember when Vance found out Candyland wasn't a real country? 💀

I have given you nothing but love today, wtf man?

I remember my Magician phase.

I remember when Griffin called you a liar for that

Billy stop making everything about you.

Billy, I love you, even if Vance doesn't.

gay.

Thank you, I know that you hate saying it, so it means a lot.

I hate saying it bc then bitchs get cocky like god damn stfu

Maybe next time just don't talk

wait who tf is leash child

That's Robin.

The story behind it is one time he got kidnapped at Disney. Except instead of like just calling the police or anything, his mother just snatched him back, ran, and then bought a leash. A dog leash for clarification.

I'm typically like cool with people talking about me, but most people ain't shit-talking, so shut up

Shiver me timbers.

I'm quaking in my boots.

Dead men tell no tales.

Very stark jump between themes

Is that why your dad doesn't tell no tales?

Same reason as to why your mom don't tell tales ig

SEE BUT IF I SAID THAT, I WOULDN'T BE ALIVE

He's just in love with Finney Boy

For the last time, I'm not in love with him. I pray upon his downfall and hope he falls

In love with you? Yeah we know

Maybe Robin couldn't sya that bc he basically just joined the group

hm

Nah man that ain't it, you basically joined the group and I begged to fuck you, so no that ain't gonna hold up in a court of law.

Maybe Billy just hates me

What did I do to you Billy boy?

E v e r y t h i n g

I'm sorry pls forgive me

I vote against it.

This isn't fighting over music in the car, bitch. You can't VOTE on personal friendships.

Yeah, it's one of the first rules we made

It's bc y'all are engaged and I'm not, huh?

No

I'm sorry I got socially stunted at a young age

You should be.

I GUESS ILL JUST GO KILL MYSELF THEN

YOU MADE THE RULE TF??

I'm not bailing you out of jail again Thomas!

YOU'RE CHEATING ON ME AGAIN? LINDA WE'VE BEE OVER THIS, AT LEAST HIDE BETTER IF YOU'RE GONNA

LINDA?? I'M DENISE, TOM!

FUCK SHIT SORRY, BILLY'S LINDA MB

I expected better after THREE FUCKING YEARS VANCE

I'm so confused was that a bit? Is he gonna actually kill himself?

If he was he would send out actual notes, so no.

Let's not put faith in my ability to care for people other than my boyfriends.

HE REFERENCED US AS HIS BOYFRIENDS INSTEAD OF BY NAME!!!

OR DIPSHIT!!

This is why I stopped calling you both pet names.

Fucking feral Jesus

I would kill for one of them cringy petnames sometimes, like a 'baby' or 'Hey, darling'

Hey stink.

I hate you.

I know he is just witch giggling and cackling at himself rn.

I want someone to call cringy pet names now

Finney my pookie bear!

Yes, muffin?

Would you fancy a walk in the rain, stink?

Yes of course my key lime apple pie!

Finney takes a moment to laugh a little at his phone, and the momentary joy is short-lived when he flinches as a rock hits his window. Well, if anything was a mood killer, it would definitely be Matty, Matt, or Buzz. Or an unrelated felony/murder could potentially occur, but those three seem more plausible.

Or Robin may have not been kidding.