Chapter Text
Man, you’ve got to look so creepy right now.
Nearly every day for the past week, you’ve sat on the bench across the street from Pigsy’s Noodles. Most days, you’re wearing a dark sweatshirt with the hood up. And usually, you’re sitting out here for hours. Honestly, not a great look!
You let out a big sigh and bury your face in your hands. Why are you even here? You’re never gonna work up the nerve to actually-
“Why so glum?” Someone asks. You nearly jump out of your skin.
On the other end of the bench, a guy sits cross legged. He looks as shady as you do, maybe more so. His face is so obscured by the shade of his hood that you can’t make out many of his features. But you’ve been at this for a week and are objectively more creepy, so you don’t judge.
“Man, you’re quiet!” You say, clutching the fabric over your heart, “I didn’t even notice ya sit down.”
He chuckles, “Sorry, that happens a lot. You just looked so down…”
“Oh psh,” You wave your hand dismissively, “don’t worry about my deal dude, I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.”
“Don’t be like that! What’s up?”
“You shouldn’t have to listen to all my whining…” You sigh, leaning back into the wood of the bench, “but if you’re lending an ear.”
“I have plenty of those,” The guy jokes.
“That’s only two,” You chuckle.
“How are you so sure?”
You pause. “Fair. I don’t know how many ears you have.”
“Only six,” Your eyebrows raise, “but enough about my ears, they’re waiting to hear about some of your troubles.”
“Oh, yeah,” There’s a stray string hanging from your sleeve. Absently, you pick at it. “So you know Pigsy’s Noodles?”
"Uh huh?"
“The delivery boy that works there, he’s- well, he’s my brother. Younger brother. Way younger, I was out of the house by the time he was born. I didn’t know about him until a month ago.” You pull the string until it snaps off. “I’ve seen him on TV. You know how cool it was to know we’re related? My brother, a hero. He’s the coolest. Even though we’ve never talked or even knew the other existed, I can’t help but be so proud of him.
“I’ve been trying to work up the nerve to talk to him. I’d love to be a part of his life, I just, I don’t know if I even should be.”
“Why not?”
“He looks like he’s got such a good thing going,” You sigh, “it’d be selfish to try and be part of that, right? I should spare him the trouble. But… I can’t seem to make up my mind.”
“You seem like a nice dude, I say go for it! What do you have to lose?”
“I don’t have anything to lose. But he has everything to lose.” You look at the man solemnly. “Monkey kid has friends, a job, a good reputation. I could mess everything up. Just because we’re related doesn’t mean I deserve to be in his life. He doesn’t owe me anything.
“I may be a nice dude. But you don’t have to be bad to do bad. Our parents, man, they’re some nice folks! Terrible parents!” You laugh a bit, “it’s no wonder that we both packed up and left! Geez.
“Sometimes, I wonder if that kind of reckless, mindless selfishness is a part of me. If that’s my nature and I’m fated to do as my parents have. But I try really hard to pay attention and, you know, not be a jerk! Maybe it’s pointless to fight nature, but if it means hurting a few less people? I just gotta do it.”
There’s a long moment of silence between the both of you. It hits you how much baggage you just dumped on this random guy.
“Woah. Sorry man, that was kind of a lot!” you apologize.
“Hey, no shame in it man! Sometimes you gotta talk it out, you know?” The guy leans over to give you a friendly punch to the shoulder.
“Yeah, haha,” you rub your arm, “dude, thank you so much for listening. Say, as a token of my eternal gratitude, how bout I buy you some noodles?”
“Oh, it was no big deal.” He waves his hand dismissively.
“Nah, dude, I insist. You really did me a solid. I’ll be right back, don’t go anywhere!” You give him a jokingly stern look as you stand, pointing at him menacingly just to drive the point home.
Of course, you’re not a very intimidating guy and you’re not actually being that serious. The theatrics get a chuckle out of him, his head tipping forward as he acknowledges your genuine request.
Not wanting him to wait too long, you hurry across the street. After looking both ways, obviously. Safety is important. You’re only mortal.
Pigsy’s noodles is a cozy little store front. When you were sitting on the bench, stressing over talking to MK, the shop seemed so intimidating. But, the moment you step through the threshold, the place seems a little less daunting. It helps that it smells fantastic in here.
There’s a pig behind the counter, you assume he’s the owner. He’s speaking to a man with glasses sitting across from him. There’s a clear familiarity between them, the man must be a regular. Before you have the chance to interrupt, the pig notices you hovering by the door.
“Welcome to Pigsy’s Noodles!” He greets, “What can I get started for ya?”
“Hello! I’ll have two helpings of noodles please.”
“Comin’ right up!” He says. You pay and put the change into his tip jar.
You lean back against the counter a few seats away from the man with glasses, to wait for your meal. That guy is going to town on those noodles.
“Dang dude, you are really selling me on these noodles.” You comment in the smallest pause of his eating.
“Oh, well, the food here is pretty good,” He says, “I wrote a review for this place once. One and a half stars.” He slurps up the last of the broth.
“Uh, why such a low rating?”
“The employee’s hygiene.”
“Ah,” you say, “was he handling the food?”
“Only to deliver it.”
“Bah, then who cares? Folks who can’t pick up their own food can deal.”
Glasses guy chuckles a bit.
“Here you are!” The pig places a to-go bag in front of you. “Two helpings of noodles to go!”
“Thank you so much!” You thank him.
“Come again!”
“I totally will!”
Your shady friend is still sitting patiently on the bench, waiting for your return.
“Thanks for waiting, dude. Here are your noodles.”
He takes the bowl of noodles and his pair of chopsticks, “Couldn’t pass up free noodles.”
“Totally,” You reply, digging into your own bowl, “Oh man, these really are good! I gotta go back there sometime.”
“To talk to Mk?”
“Oh, yeah,” Mission: Get New Friend Noodles As An Apology For Trauma Dumping totally distracted you, “that too.”
He gives a short chuckle at your forgetfulness. The two of you eat in a comfortable silence.
Pigsy’s Noodles are unbelievably good, so you both finish your food pretty quickly. You take your friend’s empty styrofoam bowl and chopsticks and toss them into the bag with yours, you’ll throw them away later. He stands, stretching out his limbs.
“Well, I better go,” He says, placing his hands in his pockets, “see you around, Mk’s older brother.”
“See you around, stranger.” You bid him goodbye.
He walks away. You watch him go until he disappears around the corner. Hearing the words ‘Mk’s older brother’ brings a warmth to your chest. It nearly makes you forget,
“Aw rats, I didn’t even get that guy's name!”