Chapter Text
When Vance came out of the closet no one said anything about it. his peers ignored him like the plague not out of homophobia but out of fear of him.
Vance was the toughest kid in the school.
He was inspired by Robin Arellano who came out.
Vance wouldn't tell anyone but he knew who Robin liked. Vance knew the instant he saw Robin stare at the boy. He knew that feeling of liking a boy. The butterflies in his chest, the feeling of walking on air. He just knew
Robin Arellano liked his tutor Finney Blake who was bullied a lot but Robin stopped the bullying.
Vance usually sat alone at lunch but when Robin sat beside him he didn't mind and when Robin sat at his table so did Finney although Finney was scared at first he settled in fine.
It was true Finney was scared of Vance but he wouldn't hurt him because Robin likes him too much.
Hey gay men need to stick together.
Another person who tends to show up was Bruce Yamada. Sometimes he would show up at lunch and talk to Finney; he wouldn't stay long . He would come over, say something to Finney, look at Vance blush and walk away. Vance just thought he was weird. He didn't understand him but Robin would smile when it would happen. Staring at him Vance didn't know what he expected.
“Listen you should come to the game” Robin said Vance took a sip of chocolate milk
And he rolled his eyes
“Why would I go to the baseball game?” Vance looked at Robin.
“To support Finn and Bruce”
“Why Bruce”
Robin and Finney stared at each other like they knew something he didn't.
“I'll go to see Finn and i guess Bruce will be there but I’m smoking after the game”
Finn and Robin nodded. Fin wouldn't smoke but Robin would its just not Finns thing
Vance thinks it's because he's a good kid. He wouldn't want to ruin that reputation of his,
Vance knew it he was sitting in the stadium waiting for them to fill up.
This was stupid he thought but before he knew it Robin found him and sat beside him.
“Does he know you love him?” Vance asked and Robin shook his head.
“No he doesn't” he took a sip of his coke that he snuck into the baseball game.
“Why don't you tell him how you feel?” Vance asked and Robin sighed.
“The fear of rejection i guess”
“He likes you I know he does”
They talked more when the game started and when Bruce stood up to the plate Vance cheered for him.
“GOOO BRUCE” Vance screamed and Vance couldn't see it but Bruce was blushing hard
“You like him,” Robin smiled.
“Shut up”
Thanks to Bruce his team won but Finney's team tried their best
Robin and Vance waited after the game for Finny he wasn't going to smoke but Robin always liked him being around.
“Hey guys!” Vance turned around and Bruce Yamada was running towards him. Vance’s heart skipped a beat; he didn't want to admit it but he did like him. He was cute so what.
He probably had a girlfriend. who knew what Bruce Yamada had going on if he was Gay he wouldn't like Vance that's for sure right?
“Where are you goin?” Bruce said as he caught up to them.
“We're going to the warehouse that shut down ten years ago to go smoke why? You wanna come?”
Bruce paused for a second not sure if it was a good idea then he looked at Vance and Robin.
“Yeah I'll come”
“Cool lets go” Vance turned around seeing Robin smirk he looked away fast not wanting to give it away that he liked him.
Behind them Vance can hear Finney and Bruce talk about base ball and where they fucked up in the game. Vance tried to ignore it but he could feel his heartbeat in his ears every step of the way.
“You okay?” Robin asked. He noticed Vance being quiet.
“Yeah I’m good,” Vance smiled at him.
They hid behind the Warehouse and Vance Could tell Bruce was nervous it was most likely his first time smoking weed.
Vance wasn't going to force it on him he wasn't a monster but he wanted To come so again he most likely wanted to smoke.
“How do I do this?” Bruce laughed. And Vance lit the joint, taking a toke off of it and passing it to Robin. He blew the smoke out into Bruce's face thinking it was funny.
Bruce Coughed Waving the smoke away
“You inhale then hold It for a second then breathe out” Vance said as Robin passed the joint to Bruce who was nervous and Vance could tell.
“Here open Your mouth” Vance said taking the joint from his hand and he took a toke getting really close he was centimeters away from each other he could feel his breath.
he breathed out into Bruce's mouth.
“Good now hold it” Vance said and Bruce almost choked by the comment seconds later Bruce breathed Out. Coughing up his lungs Vance Pat Bruce's back this was obviously his first time smoking weed but Vance wouldn't want to comment on it.
Vance Hit the blunt again And passed it to Robin who smiled at Vance who wished he could wipe off that smile.
So what Vance liked being that close to Bruce so what?
“Do you want me to do that again? Or do you want to try hitting it by yourself? ” Vance Asked hoping he could do it again to be close To Bruce.
“You can do that thing again,” Bruce said as he stepped closer to Vance. And he took a hit of the joint and blew the smoke Into Bruce's face
He could almost feel him being so close He stared into Bruce's eyes then down At his perfect Lips.
Vance pulled away looking away from Bruce he shouldn't know he liked him. He didn't want him to know.
What if he didn't like Vance back?
Vance took a hit of the joint and passed it around.
This time Bruce took the chance to hit it by himself which was fine. Vance couldn't do it again. Bruce Coughed but it wasn't the amount he did when Vance blew the smoke In his mouth.
Being that close And not be able To kiss him was torture
After a few rounds Vance put it out and put the now roach in his pocket.
Fin Was talking to Robin about space about how he wanted to be an astronaut or something that had to do with space Vance wasn't paying much attention he was focusing on Bruce who was quiet.
The sun had set and it was getting dark. He could hear the crickets and the frogs.
“Are you okay?” Vance asked and Bruce smiled at him.
“Yeah I'm good”
Vance turned his head to Robin to see Robin was kissing Finn.
Good for him. Vance thought.
“We best give them some space I'll walk you home” Vance said and Bruce stepped forward almost Falling but Vance caught him.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah it just feels like I'm walking on air”
Vance laughed.
“Yeah pot will do that to you I can hold on to you If you would like” it was a long shot Vance didn't think he was that high but he wanted To touch him.
“You can hold my hand that way you could feel when I'm falling and pull me up”
It made no sense to Vance and he thought it was stupid but hell at least he can hold his hand.
Bruce Held his hand out and Vance was hesitant to take it but he gently took it.
Fuck he really liked him his hands were so warm and soft. AS they walk he noticed things things like. Behind Bruce's Ear he had a mole.
Bruce Was so handsome he could get any girl he wanted so why was he here with Vance?
He was quiet.
“Anything bugging you Vance?” Bruce said a little Concern in his voice
“Why aren't you with I don't know Billy or Travis? The popular kids? Why did you choose me to hang out with?” Vance said feeling a little insecure about everything
Travis Was a big Kid about 6"2 and a quarterback to their high-school Football team.
He was popular and Vance was a burnout nobody Destined to drop out of school and sell weed.
“Because I like you,” Bruce said nonchalantly.
No way he said what Vance thought he heard!?
Vance Pulled his hand away This is some sick fucking joke. He couldn't like Vance he was a nobody.
He was a faggot.
No point dancing around the term.
Vance liked men.
“No one likes me”
“That's not true Kelly G thought you were a cutie”
“And What do you think about me?”
They stopped walking.
“I think your handsome and that your strong any man would be lucky to have you”
he's fucking lying
Vance's ears turn red with embarrassment.
“OH look, that's your house right?” Vance said, trying to change The topic. He pointed to a house with a white fence. It wasn't a very big house. Vance would say Bruce's family was middle class unlike Vance who was lower class.
“Yeah that's my house” Bruce said they faced each other
Vance had written down his Number to give to him a little after The game started.
“Here I wrote this down for you take it, throw it way, Only use it to get green your choice”
“Vance Hopper, are you giving me your number?”
“You know what never mind give it back” Vance Reached for it but Bruce laughed and pulled it away.
“I will call you just don't be mad at me”
“Deal”
They shook on it and Bruce headed into his House.
Vance walked home alone. He kicked a rock all the way just to do something.
His mom was pulling another shift as A nurse just to panther bills so when he Walked in she was nowhere to be seen.
Vance sighed and he closed and locked the door behind him.
He laid on the couch And turned on the TV and it was playing a 50s horror movie. He wasn't picky.
The phone rang and Vance groaned, getting up and answering the phone.
“Hey Vance I'm calling to see if you got home Safe”
It was Bruce.