#tinch

TINCH

who…

kills the spider? Probably Tommy Boy, Finch is a lil squeamish

proposed? oooh i don’t know… I’m going to go with Finchy boiiii

kissed the other first? Mmm probably Finch

initiates things? I’m actually gonna go with both!

is more jealous? Tommy Boy, def

is lazier? ehh Tommy Boy

sends weird texts at 3 am? Probably TB

is more experienced? Tommy Boy, but not by much

Editing: This was written at 12am last night

Word count: AO3 said 1,120

Ship: Tinch

Era: Canon

Warnings: Finch is kinda harsh, heartbreak

A N G S T

Inspired by Mariana and the Diamonds’ song ‘I am Not a Robot’

(There will be some fluff in a bit)

Finch took a shuddering breath, leaning over the sink. ‘Calm down, you can’t let anyone know anything’s up.’ He couldn’t, no one knew. He was supposed to be one of the tough guys, the strong ones. The ones who could show no emotion. The ones who would probably ever get love. Not that Finch deserved love. But he wanted it, badly.

Finch had fought his way up, punching and kicking until he was the best shot in Manhattan and feared by Harlem and Queens. He had to be tough, really tough. No weaknesses, none that anyone could exploit.

Which was part of why no one knew about Tommy. Who he had a friends-with-benifits thing with and he was determined for it to never become more.

Finch was a cold hard asshole to everyone. Cynical, pessimistic, and quick to fight. He’d been this for so long that he stopped knowing where the mask ended and where he began. He had become his mask, in a way.

‘I’m never gonna be anything more.’

Finch wasn’t made of stone. He had feelings, he could be vulnerable. But he could NOT show that to anyone else. If they knew he was finished. He’d be killed on sight.

Finch had his fair share of issues. Being fairly sure no one could ever love him was one of them.

“Finch is a cold stone hard dick, you outta avoid 'im.” The warning for new Newsies. Often overheard by Finch. It wasn't a good thing.

Just keep going, don't let anyone get to you. That was what Finch told himself. A man of metal.

“Just… Sometimes I feel like no one's ever gonna love me.” Tommy mumbled into Finch's shoulder while he thought Finch was asleep. “Like you're never gonna love me back. The real you, the snarky and funny and sweet you. Not the iorn hearted one.”

Finch didn't show any reaction. What was he supposed to do? Get up and leave? He could live with the knowledge Tommy loved him. It's not like Finch loved him back.

What worried Finch was that he knew those things and had picked out the difference between the mask and Finch better then Finch could.

Finch tried really hard to avoid everyone. He never committed, never came when called. He did his own thing. Most of all he avoided Tommy.

One day JoJo cornered him. JoJo had known Finch before the mask. Which was why he had been pushed away.

“Look all I’m askin’ is that you two stop looking longingly at each other.”

“We don't-”

“You do. Now take the fuck care of it.”

Finch figured that Tommy had opened him up enough.  And he was the kind of person you risked things for.

“I kinda act like a jerk so no one kills me.” Finch mumbles.

Tommy blinks. “That's what you dragged me out here for? No one's gonna kill you! Less people will want to kill you even! I thought you'd..” He stops himself and curses loudly.

“What, that I knew? That you think you love me?” Finch asked coldly. He didn't want to say it like that. It was a knee jerk reaction. He was scared.

Because he did love Tommy. But the last thing he wanted was to be hurt.

Tommy's face fell. “You, you were awake? And…” His voice broke. And so did Finch's heart. He hated hearing Tommy like that.

“It's not like we could ever really be together. They’d kill us both. It's safer for you to stay away from me.” 'For your own sake stay away.’

Tommy hadn't spoken to him in weeks. He always looked at him, so sad. It shattered Finch, but he forced himself to hold out. It was like getting off a drug, he had to distract himself. He couldn't go back. It was so no one got hurt, he told himself.

'But it's hurting you and it's hurting him.’ His mind pointed out.

He held out for three weeks.

Finch faced Tommy exactly three weeks, two days and four hours after they broke off whatever they had had.

“Hey.” Finch said, sitting down on the same couch as him.

Tommy looked a little pissed, but mostly he just looked sad. “If you want a blow or something just ask someone else.” He growled, trying to act tougher then he was. Tommy could be a asshole to.

Finch looked down. “It's not that.” He said softly.

Tommy looked up at him, with that sad look in his eyes. “'m sorry Finch. I… I'm with Albert now..”

Finch was sure that his so called Iorn heart shattered like glass. He didn't hear Tommy try to apologize, he barely registered walking upstairs to his bunk.

He spent days in his haze. He knew he shouldn't feel like this. He'd missed his chance, Albert had gotten Tommy before Finch could.

That didn't put his heart back together.

For a while at least.

The first time he felt alert in weeks, he shoved past Tommy in the hallway. Tommy always tried to talk to Finch. He tried to tell him that he and Albert agreed they both liked other people. He tried to say he was there, just as in love with Finch -the real Finch- as he had been.

Finch shoved past him in the hall every morning when Tommy tried to get Finch to talk.

After almost a week, Jojo interviened again. He grabbed Finch and pulled him aside one morning. “Will you stop?!”

Finch glared at him. “The hell are you talking about?”

Jojo crossed his arms. “Ignoring Tommy. He's been trying to apologize for weeks now, and you're ignoring him and he'll just keep trying. Do you get off on hearing him beg or something?”

Finch balled his fists. “He's with Albert, isn't he? Why does he care 'bout me?”

Jojo grabbed his shoulders and shook him a little. “They broke up!”

Finch blinked once, twice, and then disappeared to find Tommy. He may not deserve his love, but Finch had always been selfish.

He snatched Tommy out of the morning rush into a empty bunk room. He kept his hands on Tommy's shoulders, half needing the support and half wanting to make sure Tommy didn't disappear.

Tommy looked Finch in the eyes and gently cupped his face. “Is this what you want?”

Finch nodded. And Tommy kissed him gently, soft and sweet. Loving. Foreign but amazing.

Jack and Crutchie accidentally saw though the door.

“They're both desperate for love.” Jack said sadly.

Crutchie nodded. “Either they won't last, or they'll change. Maybe they'll be good for each other.”

Who’s the first to wake up in the morning: Tommy Boy. He likes the quiet before the neighbors wake up.

Who’s the one to make breakfast: Finch. He’s a strong believer in the Dinner for Breakfast Movement, so he usually cooks pasta or stir fry or something. It took Tommy Boy a while to get used to, but he kinda likes it.

Who’s the one to serve the other breakfast in bed: Tommy Boy. Not for any special occasion, just as a nice surprise.

Who would suggest a quickie in the morning before work: Finch. 

Who suggests they both ditch work to lay around all day: Both of them. Tommy Boy always asks his bf to stay at home on weekends because “it’s the weekend, you shouldn’t be working anyway” (”we can’t ALL be teachers, Tommy”), and Finch asks Tommy Boy to stay home when he’s sick.

Who chooses the movies: Finch, because Tommy Boy is a pushover.

Who initiates kissing during the moving, thus distracting the other from the movie all together: Also Finch, because Tommy Boy is a pushover.

Who orders lunch: Finch orders and makes lunch.

Who steals food from the other’s plate without asking: Tommy Boy. To be fair, Finch never really objected, so he thinks he doesn’t mind.

Who curls up next to the other and falls asleep due to a full tummy: Finch. 

Who distracts the other from trying to work at home: Finch. “Why are you grading papers? You’re a gym teacher.” “The school makes us have at least one written test per unit.” “BOOOORIIIIING” “I KNOW!”

Who asks to go get ice cream like a five year old: Tommy Boy. He LIVES for that shit.

Who takes pictures of their partner eating ice cream: Finch, to show to Tommy Boy when he says Finch needs to be healthier.

Who makes a sexual joke about the dripping ice cream on their partner’s face: Finch, because he has no damn filter.

Who cooks dinner: They take turns.

Who cleans up the kitchen afterwards: Finch. Tommy Boy tries to help, but he ends up wandering off usually.

Who stays up until 2 reading: Tommy Boy.

Who stares at their partner while their sleeping: Tommy Boy.

Imagine person a (the shorter of the pair) always finding creative ways to reach person b to kiss them. Like climbing on top of a stack of books, jumping on one of those small trampolines, and even just climbing up person b’s side. Now imagine person b watching person a with a loving smile each time they do it before rewarding them with a kiss.

There was a major thing Tommy disliked about Finch. Finch was very tall, and Tommy was almost a head shorter. So he had to find inventive ways to kiss him. Thankfully, Tommy was was creative.

Tommy’s first way was a step ladder. That made him taller then Finch, but he also hit the ceiling with his head when he tried to be smug about it.

Tommy’s second way was a stack of books. That worked much better, but Tommy didn’t have the heart to do it twice to the books.

Tommy’s third way was trying to climb Finch like a tree. That failed because Tommy was the stronger of the two, Finch couldn’t really pick him up. They had laughed about it though.

Fourth attempt, put a cat on his head. Tommy was tired, without coffee, and maybe hungover when he tried that. But Finch had a picture of Tommy with their cat on his head.

Tommy’s fifth try, a trampoline. That worked, to a extent. But Les wanted his trampoline back at the end of the day.

Finch and Tommy probably aren’t great for each other. Albert is honestly the best. Jojo puts up with too much shit.

Tw: Violence, fighting, kinda breakup, Finch is the OG emo

Shouting.

Finch wasn't sure what they were fighting about anymore, only that it had gotten personal fast. Shouted words thrown in anger.

“You're such a good damn asshole!!” Tommy threw, words like bullets.

“You're such a fuck up!” Finch snarled, fully intending for it to hurt.

“I don't even know why I love you, all you ever do is have sex and fight me about the smallest things!” Tommy's fists were clenched, but Finch knew he wouldn't use them.

“You're too much of a coward to throw a punch.” Finch hissed.

He didn't register the punch until a second after. He carefully brought a hand up to his eye and winced. Was it bad? He was so focused on the damage, he didn't see Tommy walk out until the door slammed behind him. Leaving Finch by himself in the empty room.

Finch tried to remember what they'd been arguing about. He couldn't remember, probably about something small. Why had they both blown up like that? Finch had the sinking feeling it was his fault. He should go apologize for starting and probably escalating the fight. They both hated big fights, but they were also both allergic to talking things out. They had to do something about that.

So he searched for Tommy. All around the lodging house, outside, he even tried talking to the others. And while they noticed that he'd softened up while with Tommy, they still didn't like him or that he was with Tommy. Finch couldn't understand why.

Jack brushed him off. Crutchie told him to fuck off. Race was probably in Brooklyn. Jojo ignored him and everyone else made themselves scarce.

Finch only grew more worried, so he tried to track down the one other person who may know where Tommy was. Albert.

Albert was a challenge. Finch eventually found him in the attic. That also solved his quest to find Tommy Boy. They were together in the attic. Albert had Tommy curled into his chest, fast asleep. He didn't seem pleased when Finch appeared, though he appeared a little sympathetic to his black eye. “Why are you here Cortes?”

Finch flinched at the use of his last name, but he brushed it off. “Is he okay?” Tommy was his priority right now.

Albert shook his head, shooting Finch and accusatory glare before going back to cradling Tommy. For some reason, that made Finch angry.

“Give him to me, I'll take care of him.” He said harshly. He stepped closer, ready to grab Tommy and pick him up.

Albert held Tommy closer. “No. You have been nothing but toxic since you two got together. And I can't watch him cry after any more fights.” He had Tommy positioned protectively, and he wasn't going to let go.

Finch couldn't grasp why. Yha Tommy cried, so did he. The arguments got bad. But they always made up. Every single time. Why would this time be any different?

But Albert wasn't letting go. So Finch would have to make him.

Finch stepped closer. Albert finally lay Tommy down, but before Finch could get close enough to pick him up Albert was standing. Finch was confused until it hit him. Albert wanted Tommy back.

Finch fisted his hands. “You really wanna do this DaSilva?” He would fight to keep Tommy if that's what it took. The love he gave was too precious to Finch to lose. Albert stood his ground.

“We're doing this Cortes.” Albert moved to another side of the attic, so he wouldn't trip over Tommy. And the fight started with Finch throwing a punch.

The fight itself was a blur. Punches in slow motion but he could barely register them, much less react. All Finch knew for sure was that it was him eating wood at the end of it. He'd lost, and bad. He would lose Tommy to. His nose was gushing like a faucet, he was pretty sure his face was a pin cushion worthy of Buttons, and he couldn’t feel a couple fingers.

By the time he managed to sit up, Albert and Tommy were gone. Blood caked one side of his face, and he had a feeling he’d have to set his fingers. He seriously doubted anyone would help.

He had no one now, just like before.

Unfortunately for that plan, (Being alone and staying that way) Jojo came up. Pissed off, as per usual. “For God’s sake Finch.” He hissed. Finch was still on the floor, and took the chance to look up and glare.

Jojo rolled his eyes and hauled him up by the back of his shirt. “DaSilvia did a number on you. C’mon, I bribed Buttons into helping clean you up.” And without consulting Finch, the much taller boy dragged him downstairs like Finch was a disobedient puppy.

Finch was forced to let himself be dragged. He focused on keeping his broken fingers from shifting around and getting more messed up.

Jojo was not gentle with him as they walked downstairs. Finch was probably in a very embarrassing position, but he didn’t care much. He just wanted this all over with so that he could be alone. Alone was safe, alone was where no one could stop the probably self-destructive things he wanted to do. No one to stop him from leaving the house, much like when he’d left his home.

Javid, Jack was drunk and confessed to David while drunk, they talked it out the next day

Ralbert, cuddled and were gushy to the point everyone shipped them. Albert got Race flowers and asked him out

Sputtons, Spot had a gay panic with heart-shaped cookies and asked Buttons out with them

Mike/Jojo, Ike forced them to sit together but Jojo thought Mike liked someone else so he was sad until Mike told him

Sputchy, old flames from high school who never officially broke up, got back together once reunited

Tinch, forced together in rehab, stayed by choice, fell in love

Ike/Elmer, a longstanding crush and a world-changing event

Henry/Swifty, circumstances brought them together and they discovered that they liked life with each other more (And sharing a bed)