John
Finley stood outside the door with a blanket pulled tight over their shoulders. The day pulled on their eyes like bags of sand; it seemed the very nature of the Cradle was unwinding at their feet. The phenomenon that ensnared their friends and perhaps not so friendly acquaintances pulled on Finleys paranoid nature like puppet strings. 

It seemed like the thing stole items at near random, and then, at once, the Spot (or Armando - who the fuck had named it that?) would descend on you, and you'd be like Amelie, or Fennel, or Esmeralda - carted off somewhere else, unable to be found. 

Finley had little precious possessions - only a few trinkets from Ares, Owen, and one from his sister to count as his own, including their beloved drum sticks. They had started keeping all of it in a little bag - but nothing was worth getting thrown into the Distortion. 

"Ares?" They called. Their voice was soft - despite the cruel nature of the enigma, the faculty might decide to care more about curfew than their befallen students. "It's me."

As long as the few people Finley valued more than anything stayed out of danger, they could manage. Uneasily, but they could. 

The scream had ripped something open in their chest - a fear, deep, breaking his ribcage in an attempt to escape. Between it, and the surefire midterm they'd most likely fail tomorrow, no one could blame them for sneaking upstairs. 

And it was Ares, after all. Ares, the person Finley was closer to more than anyone - even Owen, but they wouldn't tell him that. (Though, they assumed he felt the same way about Uriel.) Ares himself had a way of settling the sparking anxiety that kept Fins mind going in tighter and ever tighter spirals. 

"I brought you something."
Bruce
Ares sat against the plush sheet of his bed, the soft comforters providing a gentle contrast to the rough bark he had been holding himself against for what seemed like forever. His arm ached, the bandage pulled around his bicep was tight. Ares couldn't lie that Moru did a good job. He would have to properly thank him— whenever that chance would come. 

The tan boy had just began to rest his eyes when a knock rang out from the door, followed by a soft and familiar voice. His chest lit up with sparks, excitement even. After the hell hole roller coaster his day had been, he frankly couldn't wait for some down time with Finley. 

Ares got up, walked over to the door, and pressed the handle down with his right hand. Avoiding using his left arm was easy, since it wasn't his dominant hand. 

The heavy door opened, and a short blonde figure stood in front of him, with a smile. 

"Hey." Ares spoke, it was almost hoarse, and cracked slightly against his throat. His voice was softer than it usually was, partly due to the fact his headache hadn't subsided and partly because Fin was deeply comforting. There was no need to be loud around them. 

Ares shut the door behind the two, and immediately pulled Finley into a hug. He wrapped his arms around their upper shoulders and held them close to his chest. The taller of the two let his head rest softly on top of theirs. Ares didn't need to speak to tell Finley how much he was glad they were here. The comforting dark of Ares' room was lit up only by a few orange lights. Holding them there, behind the door, Ares almost felt his whole world melt away. 

Silence held heavy in the air for a while, Ares just stationary in the hug. If anything it was was he needed— even if he would never admit that. 

"Oh— ha. Sorry." Ares let out a small snicker as he pulled away from them. He immediately went over and began to fidget with the TV he had set up against his wall. He shifted around almost with a sense of embarrassment. 
_ _

"What movie are we feeling tonight?" Ares looked over his shoulder at Finley. 

"Oh yes, right my bad— you said you brought something?" The boy paused, and turned to face Finley properly.
John
*Oh.*

Hugging Ares, they'd decided a while back, had to be the safest place in the world for Finley Carlisle to exist in their entirety. He was *Here* - the Distortion hadn't grabbed up him up and shuffled him off, the Cradle hadn't sent him away, he hadn't been killed by some of the freakiest angel shit Fin had never learned about at mass, he was *Here*. Ares Morales lived in a way that made Finley convinced he could never be anything less than what he was - a dancing, glittering flame, vibrant, *Lively.*

If no one, Finley thought, were to ever be there for them again, at least they would have him. It furled something undone in their shoulders, dropping them from his ears. Ares gave the best hugs - nothing could hurt them here. Not angels nor anything else. 

They blinked a few times as he stood back, going to fidget with a button or two on the television. 

"Don't apologize," They said, immediately, but the words fumbled out of their mouth. "I, ah, didn't really have one picked out, I was sort of just—"

Oh, he looked so shy. Embarrassed, even. The orange light captured him up in a perfectly candid way - orange, it seemed, really was his colour. He looked kinder, softer, even. Finley didn't know how many people could say the same about him, but they were grateful they could.

Pink spread over Finley's ears as a little smile tugged at their face. They set a small, plastic bag down at their feet and took a few steps forward until they'd crashed into his arms again. 

Fin laid their head against his chest, wrapping their arms around his torso, and closed their eyes, just for a moment. He was sturdy, and the day had been so long. Finley could forgive themself for holding on just a little while longer.

"Just a second," They promised, their voice muffled just a tad. "I swear I'll move in a second. Today's just... Sucked. This place sucks."

The laugh stung with bitterness, but Fin pressed their head into his chest, in a silent hope that it would make it go away.
Bruce
_ _ _ _ Ares stood there, and snickered a little at Finley's *'just a second.'* Both of them knew it would be longer than that, and neither of them minded. 

 "I know, I know. It's over for now though, we can make the rest of today better." The taller of the two placed his hands over Fin's shoulders, pulling them closer to him. 

 Ares wouldn't admit it, but he was glad to be back. That basement had drained every ounce of rationality from his brain, the static filled his ears and made him sick, his head was still spinning. The lead weight in his stomach still remained; he could feel the inkling of something bad soon to come trickling down the hairs on the back of his neck. Here, with Finley tucked under his arms, that surely wouldn't matter. Not yet, at least. He wouldn't let that Distortion taint his mind for any longer than it already had. 

 With a scrunch of his nose, and a small audible sigh, he had decided to push the thing out of his brain. 

 "You're welcome to keep hugging me but *Damn* Can we sit down I feel like i'm gonna pass out." He gave a wry sort of laugh, slowly let go of Fin, and immediately fell down onto his bed. The soft sheets beneath his head were *Heaven* And he would fall asleep within seconds if Finley wasn't his number one priority at the moment.

 Ares sat up, and tapped the space beside him lightly with his palm, signalling for Fin to come join him. 

 "Im sorry about worrying you, yknow. I tried to contact you, I really did. I promise I wont let it happen again." The boy looked at Fin with a look no one had seen before. It was a genuine look, an expression that told the other Ares *Wanted* To be around them. That the week where he had been trapped in the basement was agony for him too, and that *Of course he missed them.* 
_ _

_ _ _ _ His expression flicked a little. "I dont wanna be sad though, I made it out alive and that's something to be proud over." A smirk drew over his face, bordering a smile. "How about we order some food and enjoy a night with just the two of us? Maybe watch a movie, or I could beat you at Mario Kart for the seventeenth time."
John
A little laugh bounced Finleys shoulders, shaking their head with it. They nodded, conceding, curling up beside Ares with a long, long exhale out their nose.

 For the first time in a week, both of them could breathe, it seemed like. Finley wasn't sure what it had really been like in the basement, and wasn't sure that he really wanted to know. But Ares was here, and that was enough. 

"Don't apologize," They said. They rested a hand on top of his, squeezing gently. "I'm just glad you're okay. I couldn't imagine being with that damn thing for ten minutes, much less a week. Missed you almost as much as I worried about you - but it's not your fault. I know you tried. I trust you."

They listened to his next thoughts, a little smile pulling on their face. Dae-Hyun, Valio, Vi, and the rest had been great company - kind words, warm tea, thick blankets. Fin couldn't overstate how much their companionship had meant to him. But Ares had a special place in their life they couldn't replace with anything - *Anyone* Else. 

"Sure, I'll put on something, and order some snacks. I would say Mario Kart, but, let's face it— " A snicker pulled their lips apart — "I'd kick your ass right now. You couldn't beat me if you tried." 

Confidence tilted their words, and Fin laid their head on his shoulder as they pilfered through food delivery apps on their phone, a smug little snicker right on their face.

"I'm just happy you're home."
Bruce
_ _ _ _ Ares smiled at Finley, feeling their hand on top of his. Everything would be alright, he was certain of it. There was nothing the boy couldn't face, he was strong and he knew this. Yet, the support of Fin beside him was a different kind of comfort. Valio, Safya, Caleb, they all had their charms and the way they would place strong hands on his back in times of need, but Fin was something else. Ares didn't want to think about it too hard. 

 Leaning against Fin's shoulder, he listened to the way they spoke. He felt the calmness in their voice, and how they were genuinely glad he was back. The fact they even missed his company in the first place resonated with Ares, in a way he hadn't really felt before. Finley made Ares feel a lot of things he had never felt before. Maybe that was a good thing. 

 "I trust you to order the good ones." He snickered. The taller boy nudged them in the side lightly with his shoulder and a laugh. It was the first time in a while he could really feel at ease. With another snicker, Ares wrapped his arm around their shoulders and pulled them in close in a teasing sort of manner. "And Oi— No cmon, I'd totally win. You know this!" The sentence came out with a laugh and a smile, they both knew Fin would win. 

 With a small breath, Ares looked at Finley with a certain *Look.* It was genuine, and soft, and the smile on his face was one very few had seen. He rested his head on top of theirs.

 "Im happy to be home too."