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Ted sat at the dinning table, leveling a deadly stare at circular object on his plate.
"Stare at that styrofoam any harder and it's gonna ignite," Booster informed his friend after watching him from the doorway for a full minute.
"'s not styrofoam. It's a ricecake," Ted pouted, not even looking up from the offending puck of stiff white fluff.
"A ricecake? Really?" Booster asked incredulously. "But shouldn't it be, you know... More cake-like?"
Ted picked up the ricecake between two fingers and held it out for Booster's inspection. "Nope. No actual cake involved. Because cake tastes good, much like pie and cookies, the name entices you to try it. But instead it is made of a dry, stale corn concoction which sticks in your throat and chokes you when you've run out of water."
Booster looked confused. "If it's made out of corn, why not call it corncakes?"
"Because corn cakes are tasty," Ted said flatly. "And these are not tasty. These are like eating cardboard."
Booster decided to take the chair next to Ted, turning it around so he could lean his chin on the back of it. "So... then why are you eating it?"
Ted sighed despairingly. "Because it's healthy." He frowned as he put his elbow on the table and used his fist to prop his cheek on it. "And if I'm really serious about losing this weight I've packed on... I've gotta eat healthy."
"I don't know if something like cardboard would be all that healthy," Booster shrugged.
"Well, I can honestly tell you that just looking at the thing has killed my appetite."
"Then it's working?"
"Ah, no. I'll probably go back to craving deepdish pizza as soon as I walk away."
Booster shrugged. "Then let's go get some pizza. I'll buy."
"No way, buddy," Ted balked. "And ruin all the good work I've done? Think of all the cholesterol! The calories! One slice and that will completely kill my allotment for the day! Maybe even the week!"
"You're willing to be miserable with crappy food than be happy?" Booster asked. "So you've gotten a little round about the middle. It's not a bad look for you-"
"It's not a good look, either," Ted shot back. "Nobody takes a fat guy in spandex seriously."
"Nobody takes you seriously anyway, so what's new?" Booster countered.
"Well, it would be nice for a change!" Ted frowned. "It's bad I get laughed at for being a pudgy hero! And then when I'm just me, girls don't even give me a second look... I'm kinda... I'm a little depressed, Boost. I need to change myself around."
"Why? Ted, I think you're fine just the way you are," Booster smiled, patting his friend on his shoulder.
Ted rolled his eyes. "So says mister perfect."
"I can't help genetics," Booster shrugged. "You'd be the same if you were born in the future, too."
"But I'm not from the future, Booster," Ted sighed. "I'm from now. So I'm stuck with the genetics I've got--and trust me, they aren't getting me far."
Booster folded his arms over the back of the chair and rested his chin on his arms. "I know you're trying really hard, buddy, but maybe the women you're after are just too shallow. I mean, yeah, I've had some dates lately, but nothing works out. I'm just a pretty face to them, and they don't want anything else."
"What else would you have to offer?" Ted chuckled.
"Hardy har har," Booster rolled his eyes. "If it makes you feel any better, the last date I was supposed to go on never even happened. Remember that black eye I had?"
Ted started laughing. "How could I forget? That kid got you right in the face when you gave him back his candy, and you were too dense to think about putting up your force field!"
"I just asked you if you remembered it, I didn't ask you how I got it," Booster groused as Ted Bwahaha'ed at the memory. "Anyway, two days after, I went for my date and I met the girl at her apartment. The bruise was starting to yellow, but it wasn't that bad. But to her it was! She didn't wanna be seen with me. I even offered to cover it up with some toner, and she still turned me down. She didn't want to be seen with a guy wearing more makeup than her, either!"
"Geez. Hope she's not looking to date a guy from KISS," Ted frowned.
"So all I'm saying is, you need to find someone who likes you for you, Ted. Then no one else matters."
Ted sighed, looking forlornly at his ricecake. "You make it sound so easy."
"It's not easy," Booster said, reaching out with a finger to trace idle patterns on the tabletop. His eyes followed the movement instead of looking at his friend. "It's probably the hardest thing in the world, finding that person... But if it helps... I think you're the best. And I really mean that."
Ted blinked at the confession, then offered Booster a soft, lopsided smile. "Thanks, Boost. You're not so bad yourself."
Booster just shrugged, tucking his face against his arm that was still folded across the top of the chair, effectively hiding his warm cheeks.
"Can I still take you up on that pizza?" Ted asked, finally shoving his plate away. "Maybe we go to that one place with the salad bar? It won't quite balance out the calories, but at least it's healthy?"
"Sure," Booster smiled as he got up from the chair. "Anything you want."