TBP ONESHOTS

III / "Pinball Hero" Vance Hopper x Reader

Vance Hopper x Reader !

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"Argh!"

I groaned, once again wasting my coins on this stupid pinball machine. It was so stupid how I could blow through twenty-two bucks worth of quarters just because of some pinball machine. I wasn't even any good at it but I was just completely hooked on it! It was like an addiction, maybe I should consider professional help. Eh, I don't have that kind of money.

Let me elaborate; I'm fresh out of high school without money for college, I work a dead end job filled with endless adventures with a mop and a bucket of soapy water. I bet you can't guess what I do for a living, I'm a janitor for some company that I can't even remember the name of. My apartment reeks of mildew and the paint is peeling off the walls at an alarming rate. After heating up cold leftovers in my microwave, I spend the rest of my money in arcades, especially when there's a pinball machine in there, almost every arcade owner knows my face by now, and every time I walk in they know they're getting a fortune, I blow through spare cash like there's no tomorrow. You know, it's funny, I'm quite good at Tetris but I just can't stand playing it half the time. It just feels like a hassle. Whenever I play Tetris I'm only half focused on the game, too. Most of the time I'm thinking of how I'm juggling jobs and could be fired at any minute practically. I would be totally screwed then, huh.

Anyways, I was currently inside another arcade blowing all of my money on this stupid godforsaken pinball game, per usual. There were a bunch of jackasses outside, but I couldn't be bothered to look up from the machine I was mesmerized with. I was doing quite well this round, actually, when all of a sudden this shrill scream erupted from behind me. I jumped almost instantly and turned away from the machine, only for a second to see what the commotion was about and the machine called out. "You Lost!" in that condescending voice it always has, as if it's mocking me. To say I was furious was an understatement. I was about to go teach this dude a lesson when someone beat me to it. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Some dude asked, venom dripping from his tone. If I was being completely honest, he was quite attractive. "I-I'm sorry Vance! I didn't mean to!"
The guy before yelped, practically shaking in fear. The guy called 'Vance' had a glare that could kill. It was quite scary honestly but I kept my composure, I wasn't the one whose face was about to be pounded in anyways. Vance shoved the guy into the wall with quite a bit of force before making his way over to me. I quickly moved away from the pinball machine, not wanting to end up like the other guy. Vance glanced at me before inserting his coins into the pinball machine. I watched him as he played, it was miraculous how his fingers knew exactly when to move, like he had memorized this game before it even started. Saying it impressed me would be a huge understatement, I was beyond wowed when the machine finally said that dumb 'You Lost' thing that always made my blood boil, seemed like he felt the same way I did, because he frustratedly groaned after the machine had announced his misfortune.

I ignored the fear that this guy had given  me just moments prior and cleared my throat to get his attention. He glanced over at me before looking back at the game. He didn't put his coins in yet, though. I think he was waiting for me to speak, so I did. "How, how do you do that?"
I asked him, he looked irritated but I had just met this dude, I have no idea what's going through his mind. "What do you mean?"
He asked, his tone was softer than earlier but I wouldn't say it was soft as butter or anything, just enough to where he didn't sound like a complete asshole. "I mean, how do you play pinball so well?"

I asked him, he still looked irritated, but not as much as before, more like he was confused, or maybe surprised that someone was talking to him? Again, I couldn't really read this guy, he was weird. "Why?"
He asked me, he was only looking at me out of the corner of his eye and I didn't really know what to say, I mean the obvious answer and the truth would've been that I just wanted to get better at pinball, but I didn't wanna seem like an open book, if I was gonna be anything special to this dude it seemed like I would have to be like a game."Why not? Ya got something else to do?"
I asked him, using a tone that I don't think was ever used in front of him before, he seemed like he faltered for a second, but only for a second. "Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do,"
He said, trying to be all tough. This guy was quite the charmer. "Right, so you're gonna turn into me and waste all of your pocket money on pinball and then wish you hadn't because you could've used that money on something else."
I said, "I know people like you, you're just like me, y'know?"
I told him in a taunting manner. "Is that so?"
He asked me, completely turning his body to face me. "Absolutely. Now you're gonna teach me how to be good at pinball or not?"
I asked him, inching closer to him without him noticing. "Sure, what else do I have to do anyways?"

He chuckled at his mimicking of my words. "Right, so this time tomorrow?"
I asked him, and he looked confused. "Why not now?"
He confusedly stared at me for a minute, awaiting my reply. "Where's the fun in that?"
I asked him, grinning before walking out of the arcade. I didn't turn back but if I did I could've bet he had this cheeky grin on his face.

I guess I got myself a new pinball partner, or mentor, I'm not really sure. Either way, I think moving forward I won't be so lonely.