Chapter Text
Henry wasn't usually very picky when it came to food. Seriously, all it took was asking his friends about the time he ate a bag of chips he found under his locker on the first day of eighth grade, and that was pretty obvious. He would eat just about anything, as stupid teenage boys are wont to do.
Except, for when he forgot his lactaid pills. Because as much as he loved pizza, it usually wasn't worth a full day of stomach aches, especially because there was always the chance he's have to be chasing down a criminal later that night.
But usually it was fine. He either had his pills that allowed even lactose intolerant people forgotten by God to properly digest food, or he ate something without dairy in it. He would just have to go with the second option today.
Except today the cafeteria decided it was Fuck Henry Hart Day and decided to serve mac and cheese and pizza as the only two options. Because why the hell not.
He was debating just skipping lunch for the day and grabbing something out of the auto snacker at work when a rather large rumble from his stomach reminded him. He hadn't eaten breakfast, or dinner last night. Or lunch yesterday, now that he thought about it. Actually, he was having troubling remembering the last time he had actually eaten a full meal. Between school, being a super hero, and the random requirements of teenager-hood, things like food sort of fell behind.
And now he couldn't stop thinking about how hungry he was. The random aches in various muscles and the edges of a migraine beginning to creep in coupled with the dull stabs of random reminders from his stomach that it was still waiting for food, thank you very much, were incredibly obnoxious. There was no way he was going to be able to make it his late two periods, and the half an hour until work. There wasn't even a guarantee that he would be able to eat right away, considering the amount of times he had left straight after school to rush straight into a bank robbery.
There was 20 minutes until lunch, and he needed a solution.
He could do what most kids did and message his parents but…
Well, his mom was still wherever she was, sending nothing but random updates to this kids and the kids alone that she was okay, and his dad was doing whatever his dad did. Golfing, maybe. Hopefully working, considering they might be a single income family soon. Here soon he should probably take a week off from superheroing to fix whatever the hell is going on in his home life-
No.
He was getting off track.
So his parents were out, and so were his only two friends and little sister, who were obviously in school with him. That left just about one person.
Groupchat: Danger Squad
Members:
Henry- BiBoy
Charlotte- Braincell
Ray- Grandpa
Jasper- Bucketeer
BiBoy: hey ray can u come drop me off a lunch
Grandpa: ugh no I'm busy
Braincell: Do you need lunch money?
BiBoy: oh wow Charlotte's texting in class it's the end of the world
Braincell: Shut up I'm in study hall
Braincell: But I can lend you lunch money if you need it
BiBoy: Nah I'm fine I just forgot my lactaid pills so i cant eat school lunch today
Grandpa: What's in it for me
BiBoy: I'll show you how to change your nickname?
Grandpa: Not good enough, I can just make Schwoz change it for me
BiBoy: You'll get the happy feeling of knowing you didn't force a teenager who hasn't eaten in basically 2 days food?
Grandpa: Ugh fine, but you're just getting a sandwich from Sheetz
BiBoy: YEET
Henry ignored the look Jasper sent him from across the classroom after he read the messages under his desk. If he stared at the chalkboard hard enough, he could almost pretend he was actually reading it and not focusing on the gnawing feeling beneath his ribs. And as a bonus he could pretend he didn't notice the concern radiating off of his best friend. Really, he knew he was a bit of a mess, but it was fine. Ray was going to bring him a sandwich and hopefully some fries and he would be fine.
Three minutes until the bell rang, Mrs. Jones' class phone rang.
"Hello?- Yes- Uh-huh- Okay, I'll send him right down." The phone clicked as it was placed back down. "Henry? Someone's here for you in the office." He nodded and, trying not to look too excited, picked up his books and made his way out of the room.
Ray stood under the fluorescent lighting looking lost, one hand tapping lightly against the counter separating the entrance of the small room and the larger area where various staff sat at their desks, and the other gripping the brown bag held at his side.
"Hey kid, brought your lunch. Never make me do this again," Ray commanded as he shoved the bag into Henry's chest. The secretary who always made a point of learning every kid's name looked slightly alarmed at this, and Henry prayed he wouldn't be called down to the guidance counselor at some point.
"Thanks, bossman," he said. Ray rolled his eyes.
"I'll see you later, Henry. Don't be late or it's coming out of your paycheck."
"Yeah, yeah."
With one last warning glare Ray turned and walked out of the office.
The sidekick felt something in his chest that was different from the slight stabs of hunger as he watched the retreating form. He was unaware that he was still standing on the dates carpet until the secretary cleared her throat. With an apologetic smile he took off towards the lunch room, his steps quickened with thought of the sweet nectar of life in his arms.
"There you are! Jesus Henry, we thought you had gotten jumped or something." Jasper called upon spotting his friend.
"Jasper, not sure if you've noticed, but this is kind of a school," Henry replied easily as he slid into his regular seat that he and his regular friends regularly sat at.
"Seriously Hen, you need to take better care of yourself. Two days without eating?" Charlotte reprimanded.
"Hey, I'm trying my best!" He threw up his hands. "Whatever, let's just hope Ray didn't get me a cheese sandwich just to be an asshole."
"He would," Jasper laughed.
Henry reached into the bag and pulled out the foil wrapped meal, reading the label and learning that it was a turkey club blessedly cheese free. Reaching further in for a napkin, he found himself pulling out a small slip of paper.
"Whatcha got there?" Charlotte asked, pausing the conversation she had started with the other boy at the table while the sidekick was preoccupied with devouring his food.
" Dear Henry," the boy in question began to read aloud.
"Enjoy your lunch. Much love, Your Boss, Ray."
"He's such an idiot," Charlotte laughed. "Of course he would put a stupid note in your lunch to make fun of you."
"Henry- are you crying?" Jasper asked. Charlotte looked up in alarm from the note she had snatched out of his hands.
"What? No!" Henry argued with a desperate swipe at his eyes.
"Henry…" Charlotte sighed. "How long has it been since you've slept."
"Fuck off," Henry mumbled into the hands his face was now buried into. "I'm super emotionally stable, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Okay, Henry, we believe you," Jasper reassured, patting his head for good measure.
"He's s-such a dad," Henry added, starting to cry harder.
"Shh, people are staring," Charlotte said, obviously trying to fight the amusement in his voice.
"I just want to eat my fucking sandwich and now I'm crying. I hate this."
"We know Henry," Jasper soothed.
He reluctantly emerged from his hands with a glare at his friends who were trying to fight back smirks and failing miserably.
"One word about this from either of you before my literally death bed and I'm going to go feral," he commanded.
"Of course," Charlotte said with faux innocence.
"Totally," Jasper added with a cherubic expression.
Henry sighed, but his hunger prevented him from saying anymore as he unwrapped the food and quickly began eating. He had noticed the cross finger of course, because his two idiot friends were nowhere near as sneaky as they thought, but exhaustion was fighting tooth and nail with annoyance for dominance inside his mind, and he was beginning to suspect he may have to break his promise of showing up on time for the sake of a nap.
He was going to resolutely ignore that brief moment of emotion. After all, he didn't really need to vocalize how he felt. He knew the note from Ray, however sarcastic it may be, proved he felt the same way.