While it had been really, really awesome of Sam to let Wally have his bagel like that, it hadn't been nearly enough to make even a scratch on his appetite, so when the buses pulled into town Wally wandered his way over to the Twin Pines Restaurant. Inside was pretty empty, but that made sense considering how early it was. Hopefully they'd still let him use his coupon anyway, since he could really go a plate of something to help fill in the bottomless pit he called his stomach.
That in mind, he picked out a spot at an empty table and started looking over the menu to try and pick what he could get with the coupon the institute had given him. ...and if he could maybe beg something a little extra from the staff.
The memory of last week's maggot-filled burger fresh in his mind, Sylar figured that he'd be better off trying out the diner than returning for another 'tasty meal'. It was farther away from the bookstore, but in a town this tiny, it wasn't like it mattered much, and as soon as he stepped through the door, he confirmed he'd made the right decision. After all, Grell might've been the most promising ally Sylar had encountered in a while, but that didn't mean he should ignore Zack's best buddy, did it? Besides, they'd never really cleared up what had happened the other night, and no one wanted something like that hanging over a friendship.
He approached Wally's table and slid into the seat opposite him, pulling a menu from behind the napkin dispenser and glancing down the list.
"I'm thinking maybe... cheese omelette. With sausage."
A huge grin overtook Wally's face as he glanced up and saw Zack settling down opposite him. After Tony being 'released' and everything else, it was really great to see that his remaining close friend was doing okay.
"Huh? Oh, for the other night?" He shook his head rapidly, the easy smile still lighting up his face. "Nah, don't worry about it. That was really nothing like how you were acting before, so I figured there had to be something else going on. This place doing something to you or something like that, right? So it's not your fault."
Not to mention it definitely hadn't been the first time that Wally's friends had been mind-controlled or whatever into attacking him, so he wasn't lacking in experience there. "Honestly, I'm just glad neither of us got badly hurt, so don't get too hung up on it, Zack. You're my friend and, well, seems like I can use all of those I can get.
"Anyway," Wally continued quickly, tapping the menu against the table. "If you really want to make it up to me, I'm sure I can think of something."
Looked like Wally had taken the route of 'unwilling patient violence' in his justification of... whatever Sylar had done the other night. It was still fuzzy in his head, but the way Wally was talking, it sounded like Sylar's Zack facade had gone out the window as quick as his sense of rationality. All he really remembered was feeling incredibly hungry...
Huh. Probably had just acted like himself, then.
"You're my friend and, well, seems like I can use all of those I can get."
"You and me both," Sylar muttered with a smile, glancing up at the sound of Wally's menu hitting the faded tablemat. After a second's consideration, he slowly raised a brow and looked his buddy in the eye.
"If you think you're getting my coupon, you can forget it."
"Aw, come on, Zack!" Wally protested, grinning despite himself. "You've got two, right? And you're not gonna use both of them... So if you're going to use the one here, then you won't need the one for the burger meal. And you know I could really use the boost!"
Tapping the menu against the table again, he continued. "I mean, I'm not trying to starve you or anything, and you know I can't think of anyone better to eat with - other than, you know, a really hot supermodel or something - so it's not that big an ask, right?"
Turning the smile up a notch, Wally added; "What else are friends for?"
Man, Wally was laying the friendship thing on thick. In fact, if Sylar hadn't already known he was such a gigantically clingy moron, he would've thought the whole shtick was just flattery, or- well, maybe part of it was. Wally did, after all, seem to have one iota of a brain cell geared toward self-preservation when it came to stuffing his mouth.
And the argument wasn't a bad one, though not for the reasons Wally was trying to pull. Sylar generally took advantage of all the square meals that the Institute set in front of them, but on the other hand, he wasn't all that eager to step into the Tasty Burger for a while. Not after last week.
He leaned back in his chair and pulled out his coupon book, flipping through the pages with one finger as if to keep Wally in suspense.
"Well, sure," he said slowly, studying the pages one after another. "But... a supermodel? Now, why would I want to give my lunch to someone who'd ditch me for that?"
Mild sadism though friendly banter. It'd get him through the day.
"Okay, fine," Wally agreed, still grinning at the friendly teasing, though his eyes were glued on the coupon book. "Not a supermodel... Amazonian warrior princesses? They okay? I mean, they'd probably let me have the burger coupon at least."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and turning the menu over and over in his hands. "Come on, man. Either give it to me or don't, anything's better than the waiting. Besides, I wanna order something to eat before the lunch rush gets here and it takes them forever to bring the food out. 'Cause I dunno if you noticed, but I'm not exactly the world's most patient guy."
Which admittedly was more because of the superspeed than Wally himself, but he could forgo arguing the little details when there was free food on the line. "Not to mention coffee. Do you know how long it's been since I've had coffee? Long enough that even a plain long black or, and I don't say this lightly, instant would be okay by me. And I say this as someone who used to go through at least five triple mocha fraps
( ... )
Sylar wasn't sure how Wally had pulled the term 'Amazonian warrior princesses' out of his ass, but either way, he looked more like a drug addict desperate for his next fix than someone trying to satisfy his appetite. Actually... Sylar considered that for a second as he tuned out the moronic coffee chatter: wasn't Wally always like this? Sure, Sylar had met a lot of gluttons in his day and he himself understood hunger all too well, but it seemed like pigging out was an almost constant fixture in Wally's life.
Something occurred to Sylar, something he could feel satisfyingly sure about given the heart-pouring that Wally had laid on him the other day. This might be a good segway into topics far more interesting than mocha fraps, and it also could serve as a reminder to Wally of just how close the two of them had become
( ... )
Wally reached to take the coupon, only to stop when Zack did. "Dude, you are some kind of sadist, you know that?" he complained, though his tone still conveyed that he was joking around.
With a heavy sigh, Wally dropped his hand to the table and leaned his cheek on his fist, gaze drifting away from Zack's face as he answered. "Okay I guess. You know, all things considered." He almost didn't add anything more but, well, there wasn't really anyone else he could tell about what else was bothering him.
"Except... Tony, my roommate? He's been released or something. And before that he spent a lot of time asleep and out of it, which wouldn't seem like much of a deal except that this kid I know was going through the same thing and I haven't seen him around either..."
He trailed off and shrugged, forcing a smile that he obviously didn't really feel. "So, I guess it's pretty much just you and me?"
"Yeah, some kind," Sylar mumbled smugly before Wally launched into yet another sob story. Not that sob stories were bad - in fact, they were incredibly good for Sylar's methods, but they only reinforced just how stupid Wally was, how gullible and trusting and weak. In a way, it was almost... fascinating. The slow sinking into desperation, the cover of happy carelessness, and a need for friendship so indiscriminate that he'd cling to anyone who offered even just a few kind words. Sylar hoped the fun would last: with a game this easy, things could get boring fast, and Sylar couldn't let such a good friend deal with the consequences of a "sadist" being bored, could he?
But hopefully this conversation could bring some new toys to the table. Sylar nodded in response to the "Tony" thing: he kept seeing the same thing happen to his own short-lived roomies, or at least he had up until dear old Spock. Speaking of which, it might be a good idea to tell Wally about that one of these days, but then again: Spock's problem. Not his. Better to
( ... )
Wally honestly wasn't that keen on dumping his problems on other people. Not normally and especially not in a place like this. Sure, he knew that it was important to find a way to deal and that talking things out helped a lot there, but in a place like the Institute, where everyone was going through bad things... Well he was supposed to be a hero. A strong person that helped others and dealt with people's problems, not got caught up in his own.
So while he appreciated having a friend like Zack to talk to and confess his concerns to, he tried to keep it as brief as possible all the same, just so he didn't put the other man out or anything. He didn't fool himself that Zack would have his own problems around the place.
Or at least, that was the theory. It was entirely different when Zack leaned in and pressed the coupon into his hand. I promiseThere was a flicker of honest surprise at his friend's words, then Wally smiled, and it was a lot more open and genuine than some of the times when he'd been smiling because he felt like it was
( ... )
Sylar smiled in response to Wally's confirmation of what he already knew: right now, "Zack" was his nearest and dearest friend, and hopefully would be for a long time to come. Still, Sylar had to admit that the sudden relief on Wally's face was surprising; maybe he'd been protecting himself to some extent after all. Regardless, whatever thin barrier that had stood there before was now completely gone, its inner workings stripped bare for Sylar's tinkering, and customization, and useMaybe now would be a good time to move into the long-awaited Stage 2
( ... )
The grin slowly faded at Zack's answer, and Wally wondered briefly what the condition would be. He didn't think it would be anything bad, but it might be something important and he didn't want to make it seem like he didn't care enough to take the other man seriously
( ... )
The waitress jotted a "2" down next to the order and then met Wally's joking expression with a deadpan. "Coffee. Right."
"And that sounds good to me," Sylar interjected, shooting Wally a sympathetic smile. The waitress rolled her eyes as she put down another number and marched back toward the counter, clearly wanting to spend as little time with the neighborhood freaks as possible. Sylar's eyes followed her for a few seconds, making sure she did, indeed, put the order up before his gaze moved back to the laminated papers in his hand.
"Didn't even take the menus," he muttered wryly as he slid his behind the napkin dispenser. "Makes me miss this place I used to go to - great service," he emphasized, tapping a finger against the table. He paused, then twisted his mouth in regret. "Until they lost their best waitress
( ... )
That in mind, he picked out a spot at an empty table and started looking over the menu to try and pick what he could get with the coupon the institute had given him. ...and if he could maybe beg something a little extra from the staff.
[Free]
Reply
The memory of last week's maggot-filled burger fresh in his mind, Sylar figured that he'd be better off trying out the diner than returning for another 'tasty meal'. It was farther away from the bookstore, but in a town this tiny, it wasn't like it mattered much, and as soon as he stepped through the door, he confirmed he'd made the right decision. After all, Grell might've been the most promising ally Sylar had encountered in a while, but that didn't mean he should ignore Zack's best buddy, did it? Besides, they'd never really cleared up what had happened the other night, and no one wanted something like that hanging over a friendship.
He approached Wally's table and slid into the seat opposite him, pulling a menu from behind the napkin dispenser and glancing down the list.
"I'm thinking maybe... cheese omelette. With sausage."
He glanced up at Wally and smiled wryly.
"Or do I owe you an apology first?"
Reply
"Huh? Oh, for the other night?" He shook his head rapidly, the easy smile still lighting up his face. "Nah, don't worry about it. That was really nothing like how you were acting before, so I figured there had to be something else going on. This place doing something to you or something like that, right? So it's not your fault."
Not to mention it definitely hadn't been the first time that Wally's friends had been mind-controlled or whatever into attacking him, so he wasn't lacking in experience there. "Honestly, I'm just glad neither of us got badly hurt, so don't get too hung up on it, Zack. You're my friend and, well, seems like I can use all of those I can get.
"Anyway," Wally continued quickly, tapping the menu against the table. "If you really want to make it up to me, I'm sure I can think of something."
Reply
Huh. Probably had just acted like himself, then.
"You're my friend and, well, seems like I can use all of those I can get."
"You and me both," Sylar muttered with a smile, glancing up at the sound of Wally's menu hitting the faded tablemat. After a second's consideration, he slowly raised a brow and looked his buddy in the eye.
"If you think you're getting my coupon, you can forget it."
Reply
Tapping the menu against the table again, he continued. "I mean, I'm not trying to starve you or anything, and you know I can't think of anyone better to eat with - other than, you know, a really hot supermodel or something - so it's not that big an ask, right?"
Turning the smile up a notch, Wally added; "What else are friends for?"
Reply
And the argument wasn't a bad one, though not for the reasons Wally was trying to pull. Sylar generally took advantage of all the square meals that the Institute set in front of them, but on the other hand, he wasn't all that eager to step into the Tasty Burger for a while. Not after last week.
He leaned back in his chair and pulled out his coupon book, flipping through the pages with one finger as if to keep Wally in suspense.
"Well, sure," he said slowly, studying the pages one after another. "But... a supermodel? Now, why would I want to give my lunch to someone who'd ditch me for that?"
Mild sadism though friendly banter. It'd get him through the day.
Reply
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and turning the menu over and over in his hands. "Come on, man. Either give it to me or don't, anything's better than the waiting. Besides, I wanna order something to eat before the lunch rush gets here and it takes them forever to bring the food out. 'Cause I dunno if you noticed, but I'm not exactly the world's most patient guy."
Which admittedly was more because of the superspeed than Wally himself, but he could forgo arguing the little details when there was free food on the line. "Not to mention coffee. Do you know how long it's been since I've had coffee? Long enough that even a plain long black or, and I don't say this lightly, instant would be okay by me. And I say this as someone who used to go through at least five triple mocha fraps ( ... )
Reply
Something occurred to Sylar, something he could feel satisfyingly sure about given the heart-pouring that Wally had laid on him the other day. This might be a good segway into topics far more interesting than mocha fraps, and it also could serve as a reminder to Wally of just how close the two of them had become ( ... )
Reply
With a heavy sigh, Wally dropped his hand to the table and leaned his cheek on his fist, gaze drifting away from Zack's face as he answered. "Okay I guess. You know, all things considered." He almost didn't add anything more but, well, there wasn't really anyone else he could tell about what else was bothering him.
"Except... Tony, my roommate? He's been released or something. And before that he spent a lot of time asleep and out of it, which wouldn't seem like much of a deal except that this kid I know was going through the same thing and I haven't seen him around either..."
He trailed off and shrugged, forcing a smile that he obviously didn't really feel. "So, I guess it's pretty much just you and me?"
Reply
But hopefully this conversation could bring some new toys to the table. Sylar nodded in response to the "Tony" thing: he kept seeing the same thing happen to his own short-lived roomies, or at least he had up until dear old Spock. Speaking of which, it might be a good idea to tell Wally about that one of these days, but then again: Spock's problem. Not his. Better to ( ... )
Reply
So while he appreciated having a friend like Zack to talk to and confess his concerns to, he tried to keep it as brief as possible all the same, just so he didn't put the other man out or anything. He didn't fool himself that Zack would have his own problems around the place.
Or at least, that was the theory. It was entirely different when Zack leaned in and pressed the coupon into his hand. I promiseThere was a flicker of honest surprise at his friend's words, then Wally smiled, and it was a lot more open and genuine than some of the times when he'd been smiling because he felt like it was ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Reply
"And that sounds good to me," Sylar interjected, shooting Wally a sympathetic smile. The waitress rolled her eyes as she put down another number and marched back toward the counter, clearly wanting to spend as little time with the neighborhood freaks as possible. Sylar's eyes followed her for a few seconds, making sure she did, indeed, put the order up before his gaze moved back to the laminated papers in his hand.
"Didn't even take the menus," he muttered wryly as he slid his behind the napkin dispenser. "Makes me miss this place I used to go to - great service," he emphasized, tapping a finger against the table. He paused, then twisted his mouth in regret. "Until they lost their best waitress ( ... )
Reply
Leave a comment