Work Text:
New York - 1992
The heater of the New York apartment was working overtime, with an ever-so-often metal clang coming from it. It was rainy and windy, the only people walking the street were people returning from work, and those stuck in the 5pm traffic. Will was stood at the stove, stirring a basic cream sauce in a pan while keeping a watchful eye over the pasta. The hum of Billy Idol's 'Rebel Yell' was filling the otherwise silent apartment.
Will glanced at the clock, 5:23. Chance shouldn't be too long now, which was good, because the pasta was almost done and he didn't want it to go cold waiting. He'd made dinner a few times before Chance got back from work, but he somehow always managed to have it complete way too early, meaning it went a little cold. It was one of the things he was still learning, being in an apartment with his boyfriend meant they learned a lot together. One time, they had to have Hopper visit to show them how to fix a burst pipe, as Will never had anyone to teach him, and Chance claimed 'Its a lot different on a car'.
Either way, they managed to make the apartment theirs, with the limited money they had. Both boys had a full scholarship, Will on art and Chance on Basketball though that didn't stop them needing money. Will had a well paying job at a small comic book store called 'Dragon Planet'. He didn't mind his job at all, every workday he'd see kids that remind him of himself when he was younger, making his job feel somewhat rewarding. He'd even accumulated a friend group which played D&D and constantly came to him for questions, advice and just to talk whenever he was working.
When days were slow, this group of kids would come in and hangout there, asking him questions about campaigns he's played, and if he had any ideas for theirs. At one point, he'd surprised the groups DM, Sam, with art of all the adventurers in the campaign they were playing through. The next weekend, they'd all come in and thanked him profusely. In a way, he reminded himself of Robin and Steve, a group of kids, and an adult trying to get some money for bigger things. Will could hear the keys in the door as he switched off the extractor fan and turned the stove off.
"I'm home, love" Chance calls from the front door.
Will rushed and grabs a fresh towel from the storage closet before going to the door and greeting him.
"Hi, baby" He says, smiling as he wraps the towel around Chance, patting him off "God you're soaking"
"Yeah, it wasn't too bad when I left, but when I split off from Gabriel and Adam it just started pouring" Chance leans in and kisses Will's forehead. "Thank you, dear" Will smiles and looks down,
"Well, you go get dry and changed, I'll set dinner on the table" Will says, leaning in and kissing Chance. As Will walks through the hallway, Chance half-yells, "Hah, I told you Idol would grow on you"
Will scoffs and rolls his eyes, but secretly, he'd begin to love some of Billy Idol's work. He remembers being a teenager, sat in Chances car after a school day going back and forward with Chance about Billy Idol and Bruce Springsteen, If he told his 17 year old self he liked them now, 17 year old Will would probably give out.
Once the dishes from dinner were cleared up, and everything was put away, both boys crashed onto the couch, Will laying on top of Chance his face buried in his chest, and Chance's chin resting directly on top of Wills head, the TV was on and playing 'The X-Files' both of them only paying half attention to the episode. Will exhaled, and looked up at Chance,
"How was your day?" he asked, now wrapping his arms around Chance's neck, allowing Chance to use his hands as a headrest.
"Hm, it was alright, Classes were long if I'm being honest, and one of my lecturers failed to mention they wouldn't be there, so me and most of the class just sat waiting. It was real annoying."
"I'm sorry to hear" Will whispered, not needing the volume that came with speaking normally.
"Basketball was good, though Adam was a bit off, I think Penny and him got into a fight" He pauses for a moment "I think he said something about rent money, she moved in with him, but she doesn't really have a job so its all been on him."
"Jeez, does she not realise how much an New York apartment is nowadays?" Will said, with a bit of condescension in his voice. Chance snickered, "You get real sassy sometimes, you know?" Will frowned, lifting himself slightly, "No I don't." Chance doesn't argue, though he cant help but smile.
"How was yours, Darling?" Chance asks. Will's face flushes into a bright red, before burring it in Chance's chest. Chance could hear a muffled "It was good", he laughed. Will pushed himself up, so now his head was resting more on Chances shoulder, "Abby and Alex got into some dumb fight and ended up covered in paint it was really funny, out teacher didn't even have the energy to ask, I felt a little bad" Will says, chuckling, "And Sam was at Dragon Planet today asking me if the final boss should be Vecna or a Litch Lord."
"What did you say?" Chance asked
"The Litch Lord.." Will goes silent, and Chance doesn't interrupt, "I don't like thinking of him all that much." Chance looks at Will to the best of his ability due to the fact that Will was still on top of him. "But, knowing that there are people only playing D&D and fighting him, rather than actually fighting him makes it a little better." He finishes.
Chance thinks for a moment before saying "At least he'll never win, right?" He asks, "Because, don't you always have to kill the bad guy at the end?"
Will smiled, then laughed "Well, no.. if you're not strong enough the entire party could die, then you'd have to end the campaign or try and write new characters in, in a way that makes it make sense."
"Stopping the campaign just seems silly." Chance states.
"Yeah" Will agrees.
Their night was slow, and comfortable, they'll get home, have dinner, watch a movie they've seen a thousand times, or a TV show with re-runs to spare as they talk about their day, future plans, how Chance is doing with classes and basketball, how Will's art projects are coming along, future plans with friends, future plans in general, and once 11pm hits, both of them will get up from the couch, clear the table of the candy wrappers and make their way to the bedroom.
Will stretched before grabbing the sweatpants and the old 'Hawkins Tigers' hoodie that had once belonged to Chance and putting them on. The hoodie was slightly big on Chance, and as Will was smaller than him, it covered Will a considerable amount. The heater had to be turned off, as to not rack up the electricity bill. Chance always smiled when he saw Will wear a hoodie of his, he adored the way it enveloped Will and made him look extremely cosy. Chance, during the cold nights, always opted for a t-shirt and sweatpants, knowing he and Will would end up in each others arms, keeping them warm.
They climbed into the bed, covering themselves with the duvet,
"Goodnight, mahal" Chance whispered, kissing Will.
"Goodnight, my dear" Will said in return, kissing back.
And just like Chance predicted, they ended up in each others arms at some point in the night.