Chapter Text
Hero spotted Sydney the moment he walked into the diner.
He looks almost the same as he did in pictures. That same messy dark hair, those tired eyes.. but somehow more real, like someone Hero had known in another life instead of through a screen.
The two met in a chatroom about 2 years ago, and have been inseparable ever since, it started with small conversations withing the server, to talking in dms every so often, then playing games together, and then non-stop texting everyday.
Sydney took a moment to realize but stood up when he saw him, his eyes lighting up, like stars in the sky. Smiling like a child at a circus with that same crooked smile, with that chipped tooth that made him look oh so adorable.
“You’re shorter than I thought,” Sydney said still smiling, as Hero approached the booth he was sitting in.
Hero laughed, tension melting from his shoulders. “No, you're just tall.”
Sydney smiles at the comment and gestures to the seat across from him, Hero sits down and takes off his bag and sets it beside him. Sydney waits patiently for him to finish before sliding a menu across the table.
"Oh, no I don't need one. I know what I want!" Sydney looks confused, slightly tilting his head. Hero noticing the confusion speaks again, "I come here all the time before work, I forgot to mention that huh?" The confusion leaves Sydney's face and he lets out an exaggerated "ohh" before taking away the menu and sliding it under his own.
Sydney looks embarrassed before reading over the menu, not being able to decide what to get, "Well.. What do you suggest I get? Y'know, since I've never been here." Hero's face lights up at the question, "Definitely the waffles, they're nothing like anything you've ever tried before!"
Sydney laughs lightly and nods, "Alright then, waffles at 2 pm." He calls over the waitress and begins to place his order, and when he was done Hero gave his order.
The waitress scribbles something down, smiles politely, and disappeares back toward the kitchen. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The diner hummed around them, plates clinking, someone laughing a little too loudly at a booth nearby.
Sydney leaned back against the vinyl seat, eyes still fixed on Hero like he was worried he might vanish if he looked away. “It’s kind of weird,” he said finally. “Seeing you like this.”
Hero raises an eyebrow. “Like what?”
“Like… real.” Sydney laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not just a profile picture or a voice in my headset.”
Hero smiles at that, glancing down at the table. He felt oddly flattered, like he was living up to some invisible expectation. “You’re not so different yourself.”
Sydney’s smile widens at that. “Yeah?” he askes. “You think so?”
“Yeah,” Hero said. “You’re just louder in person.”
Sydney laughs again, softer this time. “Guess I get excited.”
His gaze drifted briefly around the diner before returning to Hero, sharper now, more focused. “You really come here every day before work?”
“Most days,” Hero replied. “It’s close, and the food’s cheap. Kinda hard to beat.”
Sydney nodded slowly, like he was filing the information away. “That makes sense,” he said. “It suits you.”
Hero blinked. “The diner suits me?”
“Yeah,” Sydney said easily. “Feels like your kind of place.”
Hero wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but something about the way Sydney said it made his chest feel warm. Like being seen. He shifted in his seat, pretending to study the tabletop while Sydney watched him with an unreadable expression.
When their food finally arrived, Sydney looked almost impressed, eyes lighting up as the plate of waffles was set in front of him. “Okay,” he said, picking up his fork. “You’d better be right about this.”
Hero grinned. “Trust me.”
Sydney took a bite, then another, and laughed under his breath. “Yeah,” he said. “You were right.”
Hero watched him eat, a strange sense of satisfaction settling in his stomach. He liked that Sydney had asked his opinion. Liked that he’d listened.
Sydney glanced up mid-bite, catching him looking. Instead of commenting, he just smiled, warm and lingering, like the moment was something he wanted to stretch out as long as possible.
The two boys quickly ate there food, talking on about random things, dropping random facts about each other, it was nice.
When it came time to leave Sydney offered to pay, Hero and him argued back and forth until Hero won the fight and finally paid for their meals. They packed up, walked out and said their goodbyes.
Then as Hero was walking, he thought.. He quickly turned around and shouted back at Sydney, "You should come hangout at my place!!" Sydney turned around before busting out laughing, what was so funny?
Once he calmed himself he offered to drive there with Hero, he accepted.
The whole ride was just the two of them talking, sharing music, and cracking jokes.
first time posting here... ha.. give kudos ples.. smiels at you all. i hope you like okok..