𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄. ranboo (complete)

𝐗𝐗𝐈. REVEALS

❝ PRETTY FACE ❞
March 14th, 2021

REAL LIFE — THEO!

RANBOO WAS REALLY FUCKING TALL. Two teenagers meeting up for the first time, best friends for months,  living in the same city, missed chances again and again, and all Theo could think about was how fucking tall Ranboo was compared to him.

It was fine, at first — with Ranboo sitting in one of the booths that Pizza By the Slice had to offer, Theo standing by the door. For the first few seconds, Theo could almost let himself believe that he has the height advantage between the two of them, until Ranboo stood up to greet him and Theo had to crane his neck to look up at him, giving him pain at the back of his skull.

". . . Holy shit," Theo said simply.

Ranboo's mask moved but he didn't speak, so Theo assumed that he was smiling. Theo hoped he was smiling, at least, because if not then Theo might worry that he wasn't worth smiling about.

". . . You're shorter than I thought you would be," Ranboo blurted.

Theo blinked, processed, and then turned around to leave.

"Wait, please don't be mad at me, I'm sorry—"

The whole situation was a lot funnier than Theo's brain was letting him think it was; still, it was easy to laugh when Ranboo sounded so panicked about having already messed up their friendship, so Theo turned around and walked over to him, a silent way to show Ranboo that he wasn't actually upset with him.

"Thin ice, Beloved," Theo warned. Ranboo nodded quickly.

His hair was fluffy up close, soft brown-blonde locks that Theo wanted to run his hands through to see if they were as soft as his brain was leading him to believe; Ranboo was wearing an all-grey mask, different from his half-black, half-white signature mask he wore for pictures and videos; his jacket was all black, except for the half-white hood that Theo believed to be Unus Annus merch; he was wearing his sunglasses, too, blocking Theo from seeing his eyes.

He looked exactly like Theo imagined him to.

"I, uh, I already ordered pizza, it's just plain cheese," Ranboo said as they stood there.

"Thanks," Theo said. ". . . Do we hug now, or . . .?"

"Do you want to?" Ranboo asked.

". . . Not right now," Theo admitted. "When we say goodbye. Or see you later, I guess."

Ranboo nodded, understanding. "When we say see you later," he agreed, and they sat down in their booth.

It was strange, seeing Ranboo in person. Theo could literally reach out and touch him if he wanted to — no more hiding behind a screen for either of them. And it was . . . it was awkward, Theo could admit that.

It shouldn't be awkward. It should be fun, seeing his best friend in person for the first time, but being behind a screen gave Theo a layer of protection that he didn't know he utilized until it was too late. Maybe they should have planned ahead, or maybe Theo should have taken a few pills to keep his face feeling like it was being heated by the sun. Either way, Theo wasn't having very much fun right now, especially as he noticed a server bringing a pizza their way and he realized that he was going to have to eat in front of Ranboo.

Theo's eating habits were a rather sensitive subject.

The server set the pizza down in front of them, receiving a thank you from both boys as she walked away. Theo pulled a slice onto a paper plate provided to their table as Ranboo did the same, the cheese practically following off of his slice with how hot and melty it was. Theo smiled slightly as Ranboo desperately tried to save the cheese before it fell off his slice of pizza entirely, grumbling under his breath.