Chapter Text
Bruce Yamada was the one and only golden boy. Everyone knew him, especially in their old small town where gossip always comes around. Bruce is famous while Vance Hopper also known as Pinball Vance, was infamous.
People disliked the blonde for his aggression. Even cops didn’t want anything to do with him.
Bruce Yamada is also extremely observant. He can spot a fake person from a mile away, a pedophile in disguise as a loving person, bullies that are secretly the most insecure around, the embodiment of pure evil disguising as a kind person, and finally the scared and confused ones. Just like Vance Hopper.
Bruce noticed that the pinball addict wasn’t ferocious, well a little bit, but Vance Hopper is clearly broken.
Bruce always noticed bruises on the blonde’s skin. He was sure it wasn’t inflicted by a fellow teen. Vance is the toughest teen in town, only the adults could hurt him.
Bruce and his ‘friends’ decided to play a small and typical game of truth or dare in the very same store where Vance is quietly focusing on his pinball game.
Bruce knew the blonde wasn’t some kind of wild animal to attack people unless people touch him or his game. So they were pretty safe as long as they kept their distance. Bruce observed him enough to know that.
“Brucey, truth or dare?” His cocky ‘friend’ smirked.
Bruce tried to keep up his own kind and cheerful facade at the boy, “Truth.” He answered.
His ‘friends’ all whined.
“Come on man, try picking dare, you always pick truth!” The noisy one spoke.
“Yeah man!” The ‘kind’ one added.
“Don’t be such a pussy Bruce.” The insecure one added.
Bruce sighed, “Alright just keep it down, I choose dare.”
The cocky one seemed overjoyed by Bruce’s answer. It was a scary sight for Bruce, he silently wished that the boy never smiles again. It seemed like the cocky boy’s smile would 100% pass for a horror movie poster; it’ll certainly make people watch that movie because of how terrifying it is.
“I dare you to befriend pinball over there.”
Vance Hopper suddenly lost his focus on his game and lost.
“Oh shit, I think he heard you man.” The insecure one whispered.
All of them, especially Bruce, anticipated something tragic about to happen. The cocky one tightened his fists, the insecure one started cracking his knuckles, the ‘kind’ one held in his breath while Bruce just stared at the blonde boy’s back.
Vance then sighs and places another coin in to start a new game.
“Okay, I guess he didn’t hear us.” The ‘kind’ one let out a shaky sigh.
“Do the dare Brucey.” The cocky one chuckled while the rest did the same.
Bruce took a glance at Vance before turning his attention back to his ‘friends’. Bruce couldn’t help but express his disappointment and hint of disgust in his face. The boys have dared him like this multiple times in the past. He knows the real reason why they dare him to befriend all sorts of people.
It’s either to learn secrets about them and to spread the said secrets or gain connections.
For Vance Hopper’s case, it’s probably for both.
For Bruce Yamada’s case, he was befriended for connections. Although, he never snitches on any of the people he was forced to be friends with. Some he genuinely wanted as friends, some he doesn’t. Either way, he never told them their secrets.
But the connections on the other hand, were definitely maliciously used, even if Bruce didn’t want that. He always ended up hearing about it once the ‘favours’ or ‘help’ were already done.
“Aren’t your girlfriend’s waiting for you at the park?” Bruce finally spoke.
“Oh shit you’re right!” The insecure quickly runs out of the store, the ‘kind’ one chuckled and motioned the cocky one to follow the boy who ran.
The cocky one rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Bruce who maintained his golden smile.
“You better do the dare Bruce.” The cocky one threatened.
“Hurry up man, don’t bother Bruce any longer.” The ‘kind’ one offered an apologetic smile to Bruce, forcing his cocky friend outside the store.
“Fake fuck.” Bruce uttered.
Bruce let out a long and deep exhale. He’s been holding it in the whole time he was with the boys. Everything that came out of their mouths made Bruce’s social battery drain. He needed to recharge his own mental state.
His eyes then caught an unexpected blonde, no longer playing pinball, his back rested on the machine, his arms crossed, staring at him.
Finally, an amused smile formed on Vance’s face, “Didn’t expect the word fuck from golden boy.”
Bruce, who is also quite amused, smirked at the blonde, “Seems like you have a staring problem, Hopper.”
Vance playfully rolled his eyes and chuckled, “Bold coming from you.”
“What do you mean?” Bruce tilted his head.
“You drill holes on my back every time you come here.”
“Oh. Do I do that?” Bruce gulped, trying to remain his cool.
“My bad.”
“My bad?! Come on, you can do better than that Bruce!” He mentally kicked himself. His face still remained calm, although his thoughts were at war.
Vance’s smile only grew, “All good, I don’t mind you staring.”
Bruce blinked.
“Is this flirting?” He wanted to evaporate into thin air.
“Great news to me then.” Bruce spoke, biting his lower lip. His eyes were going anywhere but at Vance.
“So..” Vance raised a brow, he finds it interesting that when he finally talks to Bruce Yamada, whose eyes have been on him in every encounter they have, finally eye-to-eye, he doesn’t look at him but instead decides to have a staring contest with the floor, “Wanna hang out sometimes?”
Bruce finally looked at the blonde, who still held an amused expression.
“What?” Bruce asked. Needing to hear the sentence again, his ears probably needed checking.
“I said wanna hang out sometimes?” Vance repeated.
“So I’m not hearing things, okay.” Bruce mentally slapped himself.
“Uh…yeah sure of course.”
“Okay, see you around, Yamada.” Vance Hopper, just left Bruce Yamada, standing there, completely dumbfounded.
Another thing is, Bruce finally noticed Finney Blake, a dear good friend of Bruce, carrying two paper bags of goods, was staring at him with a huge grin.
“Congrats Bruce.” Finney broke the silence.
“Did you hear all of that?” Bruce spoke in a defeated tone.
“Yes I did.”
“Why are you congratulating me?”
“Because you finally talked to him.” Finney fixed his small paper bag of groceries that were resting in his arms.
“What do you mean by finally?” Bruce raised a brow, oblivious to his ears turning tomato-red.
Finney, for the sake of Bruce’s pride, didn’t point out his ears, “Anyone who knows you well enough can see how you stare at him whenever.”
“By anyone do you mean you and Billy?” Bruce feeling his cheeks grow warm, turned away from Finney.
Billy Showalter, also another good friend of Bruce, has accused him in the past, for having a staring problem only with Vance Hopper.
“Yup.” Was all Finney could answer before walking towards the taller boy and giving him a pat on the back.
“I’m heading over to Billy’s place, we were gonna come over to your house and invite you but it seems like you’re already here so,” Finney’s smile turned into a sly smirk, “He’ll be delighted to know you finally talked to Vance Hopper,”
“Shut up Finney.”
Shut up and smile is what Finney did. The smaller boy dragged Bruce out of the store while carrying two bags of chips and possibly soda, Bruce complained and whined, only making Finney sigh at how Bruce Yamada, the town’s golden boy, can act like an overgrown toddler.
“An overgrown toddler, who is oblivious to his own feelings.” Finney chuckled at his own thoughts.