Archive of Our Own ^beta

On this episode of House Hunters, Will wants a move-in ready modern house in the Boston suburbs, while Derek wants a historical fixer-upper near downtown. Can these two former college hockey defensemen find the home of their dreams, or will their house hunt put them on the defensive?

_/ \_

Derek and Will first met when they were paired together as defensemen on their NCAA college hockey team. It was a pairing that was meant to last!

“It was love at first sight!” Derek beams while passing the puck to Will. They’re both clad in worn Samwell hockey jerseys, playing a definitely-spontaneous, not-at-all-staged game of one-on-one at their local rink.

Will snorts.

“Well…” Derek amends. “We almost immediately clicked on-ice.”

Will nods. “It took us a lot longer to click off-ice.” He slap shots the puck into the net.

“Not until after we’d moved into the hockey Haus together,” Derek agrees, gamely accepting another puck from the P.A.

Will laughs fondly. “He drove me crazy at first.”

“He moved out of our room and into the basement for a while,” Derek supplies.

“But, eventually one thing led to another, and, well, we’ve been together ever since,” Will finishes.

Now this hockey power couple is ready to buy their first home together in Boston – but they’ve got very different ideas of must-haves!

The scene cuts to Will and Derek seated together at a tidy kitchen table. They’ve changed into everyday clothes: Will in a red and black plaid button-down shirt, Derek in a slouchy moss green sweater. “We’re looking for two or three bedrooms and one and a half or two bathrooms. Our budget is four hundred to six hundred thousand, but we’re staying on the lower end.” Will side-eyes Derek as he emphasizes the last six words.

“Unless we need to pay more for the location,” Derek adds.

“Unless you want me to make renovations, in which case we’re staying on the lower end of the budget,” Will counters.

Derek shrugs and smiles winningly at the camera.

Will squints at the camera in closeup. “My name is Will. I’m twenty-six years old and I’m a systems analyst for a financial services firm. I’ve spent most of my free time over the last couple of years acting as a handyman for my friends, but I’m ready to take a break from renovations and repairs!” He laughs. “My dream home is move-in ready, open concept, sleek, with modern amenities.” He ticks off each item on his fingers as he speaks. “Covered parking is a must. And I’m willing to move to the suburbs if I need to, to stay within our budget.”

Derek lounges on a green couch that has seen better days, book in hand. He glances up at the camera as if he’s been taken by surprise. “Oh, hey. I’m Derek. I’m an English professor and part-time artisanal tea-blender.” He closes his book with an audible snap and shakes an errant lock of hair off his forehead. “Boston is so full of history and culture. I want to live in a place that reflects that, and also lets us show our own personality. My ideal home is historical, with character and unique architectural details. I don’t want to live in the same boring open concept modern house you could find anywhere in the country; I’d rather buy a fixer-upper that we can really make into our own! But location is the most important part: it has to be near downtown, good restaurants and nightlife.”

With such different wish lists, can this pair ever see eye-to-eye?

_/ \_

Their realtor, an old college friend, has found them a brownstone in the Back Bay that offers the historic charm and location that Derek wants, but will Will be turned off by the price point and need for renovations?

A petite Asian woman sporting a black dress and an asymmetric bob nods at Derek and Will. “Sup, bros. Here’s an old house in a trendy neighborhood for Nurse.” She gestures toward the house impassively.

Derek bounces on his heels excitedly. “It’s got real character. I’ll bet a lot of great stories have happened in this house over the years. And it’s right around the corner from some of our favorite restaurants!”

“What’s the asking price?” Will asks.

“Five hundred eighty-nine thousand, nine hundred,” their realtor explains.

Will lets out a low whistle. “That’s at the high end of our budget.”

“We agreed we’d pay more for location, remember babe?” Derek argues.

Will looks skeptical. “That brickwork could use some work. And where’s the parking?”

“Oh no, there’s no off-street parking.” The realtor shakes her head.

“Where’s… the parking?” Will repeats numbly.

The realtor shrugs. “You could probably buy a spot in a private lot a couple of blocks away.”

“But… parking…” Will whines.

“Come on, babe, let’s check out the inside.” Derek claps a hand on Will’s shoulder.

They enter through a cramped hallway and turn right into the living room. “It’s small,” Will gripes.

Derek shrugs. “These old places usually are. But we could knock down that wall to expand it!”

“Do you know how much work that would–”

“Oh my god, look at this gorgeous fireplace!” Derek cuts Will off, running to examine a marble fireplace with ornate carvings. A large crack runs vertically across the mantel.

“It’s cracked.” Will shakes his head.

“Yeah, babe, but you could fix that, couldn’t you?”

Will sniffs and strides over to the far wall. “Is that a radiator?”

“Yup.” Their realtor nods.

“How old is this place?”

She rifles through a binder of paperwork. “It was built in 1870.”

“The history! That’s amazing!” Derek claps his hands together.

“It looks like it hasn’t had any upkeep since 1870,” Will grouses.

“Let’s check out the kitchen.” Derek pats Will on the back.

They enter a small galley kitchen, with dated beige appliances and blue gingham wallpaper.

“Well that’s…” Derek’s voice trails off.

“Yeah,” Will agrees. “This will need some major upgrades.” He turns on his heel and exits the kitchen.

“I’m loving the grand staircase!” Derek proclaims as they walk upstairs.

“The banister could use some work.” Will examines a loose dowel.

The realtor opens the door to the master bedroom. Will looks around. “It’s okay. This carpet’s got to go.”

“Check this window seat!” Derek rushes over to a bay window. “I could just see myself sitting here with a book and a cup of tea!”

Will joins him and lays a hand on the window frame. “Not in the winter. It’s drafty.”

“You could probably put in some insulation or replace the windows, right babe?” Derek smiles coyly up at him.

“Remember the part where I said this house is already at the top of our budget?” Will mutters through gritted teeth.

“Let’s check out the master bath.”

They glance about a small bathroom with cracked tiles. “It’s… okay,” Derek shrugs. “We’d be paying for the location, right?”

Will pulls a face.

They step into the guest bedroom.

“We could set up your computers over there,” Derek gestures to one wall, “and my desk and books over there. Maybe I could even do some tea blending in here!”

“Because the kitchen’s tiny,” Will supplies.

“…Because the kitchen’s tiny,” Derek agrees.

Will sighs. “Can we see the next one now?”

_/ \_

Will wasn’t charmed by the Back Bay fixer-upper, but maybe this move-in ready modern condo in Braintree is more his style? At three hundred ninety thousand, it comes in under budget.

Will, Derek and their realtor stand in the courtyard of a condo complex.

“Yeah, Dex wanted to see a modern industrial condo, so here you go.” Their realtor shrugs.

Derek wrinkles his nose. “It’s so same-y. I feel like you could find this same complex in any suburb in the country.”

“What’s the parking situation?” Will asks excitedly.

“Each condo comes standard with one assigned covered parking spot, with options to buy more,” the realtor explains in a monotone.

“Covered parking!” Will squeezes Derek’s arm.

Derek snorts. “We’d be so far away from our jobs, and our friends, and any nightlife…”

“But think of all the money we’d save!” Will argues.

“We’d spend it all on gas.” Derek shakes his head.

“Can we go inside?” the realtor asks.

The condo’s main living space is large, open concept… and painted electric blue.

“Wow.” Derek stands stock still just inside the main door. “That is… blue.”

Will grabs his hand and pulls him deeper into the condo. “We can repaint.”

“I thought you didn’t want to do any work on the new house,” Derek argues. “What happened to move-in ready?”

Will quickly changes the subject. “Now this is the kind of kitchen I want. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops…” He runs a hand along the large kitchen island. “And this island would be a perfect space for your tea blending.”

“But it has no soul!” Derek wails.

“Come on.” Will drags Derek back into the living room. “You wanted architectural details, didn’t you? How about that ceiling, that’s cool, right?”

The living room has a dramatic recessed ceiling, also painted electric blue.

Derek cringes. “It’s like the blue crept up the walls to the ceiling and now it’s leaning in to smother me.” He holds his arms up protectively over his head.

Will pinches the bridge of his nose. “Oh God. Let’s just go see the master bedroom.”

The master bedroom is large, well-lit, and extremely purple.

Derek shakes his head. “Just wow.”

“We can… repaint that too.” Will says weakly. “Hey, the master bath is pretty nice. Look at the size of that bathtub!”

“Only one sink, though?” Derek whines.

“The brownstone only had the one pedestal sink,” Will points out.

“Right, but that was like an antique sink. It had character. If we’re just going to have a slab of granite on top of some cabinets, then I at least want dual sinks,” Derek argues.

Will sighs. “You would probably take up most of the counter space.”

The guest bedroom, which comes equipped with a half bath, has white walls and a nice view of the forest.

“Here we go,” Will sighs in relief. “A nice, plain, white room.”

“What, did they forget to paint in here?” Derek snarks.

_/ \_

Derek didn’t love the modern industrial condo in Braintree, but this third home might just check off both their wish lists: a fully-renovated condo listed at five hundred seventy-five thousand, in a former factory built in 1910 in historic Charlestown.

Derek, Will and their realtor gaze up at a large brick building with two-story arched windows. A small crowd of twenty-somethings stand together in the distance, whispering excitedly together and occasionally glancing at the camera. The realtor waves them off behind her back, and they scamper off-camera.

“You wanted historical and close to downtown,” the realtor gestures to Derek, “and you wanted open concept and move-in ready,” she gestures to Will. “This place has a little of everything. I wonder whether you’ll like it?” She shrugs exaggeratedly.

Derek beams. “It’s really cool.”

“I think so too.” Will squeezes his hand.

“Let’s go in.” The realtor shoots them a small smile before beckoning them inside with her.

They enter an airy, open room filled with light from two nearly floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Boston bay. “The windows continue up to the second-floor loft,” the realtor explains.

Derek rushes over to the large kitchen. “Babe. Check these cabinets! And the counter space! This would be a perfect place to work on my teas!”

“And the appliances look like they’ve been updated recently,” Will adds. “Stainless steel.”

Derek gestures to the space in front of the nearest window. “We could put our table right here, and eat our breakfast in the morning sunlight.”

Will walks to the far end of the living area. “And this would be a great space for entertaining our friends.”

“You can’t beat that view,” Derek agrees.

The guest room is tidy and cozy. “This would be a good place to set up my computers,” Will smiles.

“And we could put a futon along the other wall for out-of-town guests,” Derek adds.

After inspecting the downstairs half bath, they take the stairs up to the second-story master bedroom. It has two large arched windows and a loft overlooking the first floor living space.

Derek wraps an arm around Will’s shoulders. “Imagine waking up to the sunrise through those windows.”

“I’d love that.” Will kisses Derek on the cheek.

The master bath is well-appointed, with a large soaker tub and dual vessel sinks with chrome faucets.

“It’s almost too perfect,” Derek gushes.

“Parking?” Will asks their realtor hopefully.

“It comes with a covered parking spot.”

“Yes!” He pumps a fist in the air.

_/ \_

After seeing their options, Will and Derek sit down with their attorney to pick out their new home.

“First of all, brahs,” a mustachioed man clasps his hands together in a prayer pose. “I just want to tell you how honored I am that you have let me be a part of this momentous occasion in your lives.”

Will rolls his eyes.

“Second,” the attorney continues, “did Lards find you the perfect place, or did she find you the perfect place?”

“They were all terrific…” Derek begins.

Will snorts.

“They all had parts of what we’re looking for, and it’s going to be a tough choice,” Derek continues. “I saw a lot of potential in the Back Bay fixer-upper, and the location was amazing.”

“Yes, but it would need a lot of renovations, and it’s already at the high end of our budget to begin with,” Will argues. “How about the Braintree modern industrial condo? It’s inexpensive and well-appointed, with lots of space.”

“But it’s way too far away from our jobs and our friends, and it’s just… blah.” Derek shakes his head. “Now, the Charlestown renovated factory building had a lot of character. Those windows were amazing, and the view over the bay from the loft is to die for.”

“And it’s move-in ready with the modern amenities that I’m looking for,” Will agrees.

Will this hockey pair take a shot at the Back Bay fixer-upper, the Braintree modern industrial condo, or the Charlestown renovated factory?

“Babe, I think we can cross the Braintree condo off our list,” Derek inclines his head toward Will, who makes a noise of protest. “Come on babe, I know you like the modern look, but basically all it had going for it was the asking price.”

Will shrugs, giving in easily. “Fine, you’re right.”

“So, what’s it going to be?” The attorney bounces in his seat. “The Back Bay fixer-upper or the Charlestown renovated condo?”

Derek and Will share a look.

“Have we made a decision?” Derek asks.

“We’ve made a decision.” Will places his hand on Derek’s.

_/ \_

“We bought the Charlestown renovated condo!” Derek and Will stand with their arms around each other in their new home.

“Of course we did.” Will smiles smugly. “The asking price was five hundred seventy-five thousand, but we got it for five hundred sixty.”

“We only moved in three weeks ago, but we’re already giving it our own personality with some cool pieces I’ve picked up at thrift stores.” Derek artfully places a wire sculpture on top of a glass-topped table.

“But the best part of owning our own home is entertaining our friends.”

The scene changes to a rowdy game of beer pong with the same group of twenty-somethings seen earlier in the episode, now including the realtor and attorney. A smaller blond man with a strong Georgia accent hugs first Will and then Derek in turn. “I’m just so proud of y’all. Your first home!” He presses a hand to his mouth.

“I always knew they’d pick this one.” The realtor takes a sip from a red Solo cup.

“Well, that’s just because you’re such a talented realtor!” The blond man wraps an arm around the realtor’s shoulders and squeezes her tightly against him.

“No, literally,” she protests. “They had already made an offer on this place before the cameras even–”

“Who wants pie?” The blond man cuts her off with a panicked smile.