Will Byers|Byler

His soul felt lighter at the thought that Will would spend the rest of the evening with his loved one, who should already be waiting for him downstairs, because today was their special day - the anniversary of their first meeting.

Will left the stuffy office. The cold wind blowing through the nighttime city streets stung Byers's hot skin as he stepped outside the building. Finding the young man's car, he got in.

As Will reached for his seatbelt, a sharp, alien scent of cologne hit his nose. It wasn't the kind he wore himself, nor the one he always chose as a gift for his boyfriend. The cabin was filled with a heavy, suffocating aroma, pungent with a spicy blast of pepper, cinnamon, and tobacco. Byers couldn't stand it, always preferring fruity or sweeter, less pungent perfumes.

After exchanging a few casual words at the beginning, the guys remained silent the rest of the way to the restaurant. The brown-haired man, staring out the window, watched the bustling city life at night, wondering for the hundredth time where he could have screwed up: why had they once again chosen a replacement? Was the original so bad that they didn't even bother to take a closer look?

The walk from the office building to the restaurant didn't take long. Turning off the engine, the couple exited the car together, and Byers could now take a deep breath of fresh air and finally regain his composure.

The administrator who met them in the restaurant lobby quickly found their reserved table.

Without waiting for the young man, Morris immediately followed the wait staff and was the first to settle into the designated table. Byers, without a word, silently followed suit and took his seat. He was already immersed in the menu, only occasionally looking up to glance absently at his phone, as if expecting an important call or message.

"It's not even half the evening and you're already sitting there with a sour expression," Chance remarked, not even looking up from the page. "What is it this time? Maybe I breathed in the wrong way or forgot to wish one of your distant relatives a happy holiday?"