Work Text:
Bob streamed regularly, playing games and such. He was a computer science major and loved coding. Bob set up his Twitch account when he was a teenager, but his streams were lacking now that he was in college.
{Sentry is live}
“Can you guys hear me okay…?” Bob talked into his mic, looking at his sound and his second monitor. He fixed some settings as the chats poured in.
bbgg388: What are we doing?
You have no category
Gemmyyyyyy: you look sooo good today
LoserLi0n: Is your roommate there too?
HouseofWhiningOfficial: missed ur streams
Bob booted up GeoGuesser, talking to the chat as he started an 8 streak. That’s when LoserLi0n and people like them got their wish.
John wanted to be a chef more than anything in the world. He loved cooking and giving people memories around food, ever since he was young. So when he got accepted into culinary school, he was overjoyed.
The only thing is that there are so many projects with him cooking new meals and dishes, some better than others. It was a lot of food, and John couldn’t eat all of it. Luckily, his roommate had a monster appetite.
John creeped the door open with a vague knock, one Bob didn’t hear. John walked over, his body partially in frame as he offered up a plate of pan roasted brined pork chop.
“Bobby, new meal.” Bob turned over, taking his headphones off, setting them around his neck. “Thanks John.” Bob smiled brightly and grabbed the plate and silverware. John stood there, arms crossed nervously, waiting for Bob to take a bite.
Bob showed the camera the plate, “Look what my roommate made! Looks delicious.” The chat was going a little crazy, they always did when John was there.
wubandz: That’s so good looking
gold.griffin: wife him up
chryst4ll: THOSE ARMS THOOOOO
adventurrae: he’s so nervous it’s cuttteee
peterrrgabriellaaaa: eat it already!!
mmoshppit: forget the pork eat him
Bob cut up a piece of the meat and showed it to the camera again, much to John’s dissatisfaction. “Bobby, eat it already or it’ll get cold.” Bob smiled playfully, “Not that cold John, chill.” But he obliged and ate the piece.
He made small sounds of approval at the taste and held up both thumbs. “This is by far the best one yet.” Bob smiled at John who waved his hand, encouraging Bob to keep going. “Uhm, a little light on spice in some parts.” John nodded and patted Bob’s shoulder, “Thanks Bobby.”
John left the room, the door closing behind him. Bob put his headphones back on and continued the stream. He took bites of the pork every so often, and in under half an hour, the plate was completely eaten.
Cirus5pid3r: Oh yeah they fuckin
The stream ended a few hours later when Bob’s alarm went off for him to get offline for the day. It was only 6PM but his therapist said he should stay offline at night. So he said goodbye and turned off his computer and monitors.
He sat in the silence for a moment, decompressing after the high energy he had to put on for the stream. He finally stood up and took the plate back into the kitchen.
Once he stepped foot inside, he sighed at the dishes left behind. Bob started the sink and grabbed gloves. He spent half an hour scrubbing the pots, pans, and utensils that John left behind.
John walked in just as Bob finished, he always managed to as if by magic. “I was gonna get that.” He said, a little embarrassed at being ‘picked up after’ by another man.
Bob brushed him off with a shrug, “I was gonna do it anyways.”
To thank Bob, John made dinner, which he helped clean up after.
Sentrysfanpage: Bob’s roommate is so sweet, always bringing him food during streams!!!
100k likes and 74k comments, all speculating the relationship between the streamer and his roommate.
John woke up the next morning early. Bob had an early lab and John needed his opinion on a crepe recipe. So he rolled out of bed, leaving his phone on his bedside table.
He made quick work of cooking the pancake-like dish, and perfect timing too. He heard Bob’s door open just as he finished plating the dish.
Bob walked into the kitchen, head down and attention fixed to his phone. Something disturbed him because he looked teary eyed and red.
“New dish, it’s a crepe.” John was always weirdly awkward when talking about food. You’d think he’d get excited, it was his thing after all, but it was the opposite. He got tense and tight lipped, hoping no one called him on a fault. It’s no different when it’s Bob, but he’d rather a friend criticize him than his chef.
Bob barely glanced up before his attention fixed back down. Bob sighed, deep and shaky. “John I’m so sorry but,” Bob bit his lip, “the stream from last night, people found your instagram. I’m so sorry…”
John didn’t know what to take from Bob’s words at first. Then it hit him. Almost a million people could see all his posts now, and knew who he was. It scared him for a second but he brushed past it, he could freak out later. For now, he had a dish that needed tasting.
John shrugged, “Oh well, it’s fine.” John grabbed the plate and a fork, shoving it towards Bob. “Now please eat it,” John looked away, unsure, ”I’m still getting the hang of cooking breakfasts too.”
It was humiliating to John, that he was in such a highly spoken of culinary school, and he couldn’t make a decent omelette to save his life. But he’ll fix it, and he’ll get better.
So John urged Bob to take the plate and watched him take the first bite. The tension in Bob’s shoulders loosened as he ate.
Bob always loved what John made for him, it was delicious. The best part is how most of what he cooks is made specifically for Bob.
He tasted the savory goodness of the delicacy, smiling softly. It wasn’t much to distract him from the problem he gave John, but it was a start.
Bob looked over to see John’s nervous face. “It’s really good, better than some of your other attempts.” Bob smiled as John relaxed. But the anxiety of the leak caused his smile to fall quickly.
“John, seriously, I’m sorry.” Bob set the plate down on the counter, suddenly feeling nauseous. John frowned slightly. “It’s fine, I can always private the account. No big deal.”
Bob shakes his head. He forgets how dumb John can be about the internet. “Not that simple, John.” Bob sighs, “They’ll find your professional stuff and could harm your chances of getting that kitchen job after you graduate.”
That “kitchen job” is to Star Spangled Scullery, where the owner, Steve, has promised him a low level entry job in the kitchen. Sides and soups. Better than working at the Fontaine’s.
John tilted his head at the boy, “I’ll be fine. I’m used to the public eye.” Bob felt immediate guilt.
John lived near a good culinary school in Georgia, and got offered a full ride too. But it was taken away in the blink of an eye after the death of his best friend Lemar.
The public looked all over John and his life, pressing and prodding at the wounds. At the memories of Michael, at the messiness of Olivia, at his father. John had to live with it, and nothing could be worse than that. Worse than 18 year old him letting the fire in the kitchen grow.
John knows that after that, nothing could be worse.
Bob takes convincing to leave, worried about John. After 10 minutes of reassurance, Bob left. John started cleaning up after breakfast.
That night, Bob warily started the stream again. He breathed in deeply to steel his nerves when addressing the crowd.
“Hey guys, you should really leave John alone.” He frowned as the chat picked up, “He’s just my roommate and even if we were together,” Bob blushed unintentionally, “It’s none of your business.”
Killapond008: “roommates” and he blushed
Bob saw that message and froze, he looked over his shoulder at the closed door. “He really is just a friend. He’s not gay or anything so don't get the wrong ideas.” Bob looked back at the monitor.
He really hopes no one sends these clips to John’s instagram. Bob’s face is absolutely red. It makes sense, he’s always had a hard time hiding his emotions.
It took convincing but the chat was eventually reeled over to focus on the gameplay of Life is Strange. Bob is grateful for the distraction.
Exactly an hour later, Bob says goodbye to his viewers and powers off the stream. John knocks and walks in. He isn’t offering a new dish, but an old and comforting one.
On the plate is stir fried vegetables and rice, on the side was cut up pork and tofu. He notes the, probably last minute added, cucumber slices on the side. Bob smiles.
“Didn’t wanna interrupt the stream.” John steps forward, approaching Bob’s desk. He handed the plate and fork to Bob, “People sent me clips of you, all day.”
Bob reddens, taking the plate from John making their hands brush together in a way that Bob is hyper aware of. “Oh, sorry.” Bob looks up, “What clips?”
John leans against the wall slightly, looking down at Bob as he takes small bites of food. “Mainly the one from today when you chewed out your viewers. It was nice.” John smiles a shit eating smile. Bob can’t help but choked a little on the tofu.
Bob cleared his throat and picked up more pork and rice in his fork, “Oh, yeah. Well, they should leave you alone.” Bob shoveled the fork full of food into his mouth, avoiding John’s gaze.
John raises a brow, “I told you it was fine. So don’t worry about me next time.”
John lingered in Bob’s room as he ate, making small talk about school and books. When Bob was finished, they both moved to the kitchen to clean up.
Afterward, it was getting late, and with an early lab, Bob retreated to his room.
He couldn’t help but look at the tag of SentryChef on twitter. The shippers of him and John are growing. It’s a little crazy to think about, but as he scrolled, he found older and older photos of John. Some of them, even Bob hasn’t seen before.
Bob felt like a proper creep as he stumbled upon a high school picture of John. Even back then, he had this tint in his eyes that invited chaos and love. Bob stared at the photos as he drifted off to sleep.
He didn’t know how John was doing the same in the room across from his.
Bob and John have gotten a lot closer lately, ever since the rumors of them dating anyways. Neither paid much attention to it anymore.
Bob found a sick enjoyment of people thinking John was taken by him. He noticed less people sliding into John’s dms, and it was nice to imagine sometimes that John really was his. Then he’d come back to reality, and feel crushing guilt at the perversion of his best friend.
John honestly didn’t notice much of it, but he liked the changes. The way Bob streamed slightly less to join him watching movies. The way Bob took interest in watching him cook. The way their shoulders brushed against each other’s when they washed the dishes. It was subtle and addictive.
Bob didn’t realize he was doing it, but when he did, he didn’t bother to stop.
It was winter now, and heating was expensive. On the couch that night, watching the Princess Bride (as per Bob’s request and John’s secret enjoyment), Bob shivered.
The man always ran cold, so of course he instinctively curled closer to John’s furnace of a body. John hardly noticed, he just opened his arm and let Bob curl closer. He was just cold, that’s all.
They had no excuse when spring dipped into summer and their skin was sticky with sweat from the humidity. Neither mentioned it much, it was a silent arrangement.
Bob would set up the movie as John grabbed snacks. When he came to sit down, he’d open an arm and Bob would move to cuddle into him.
When the movie was particularly boring to one of the pair, or they’ve had a long day, neither minded when the other fell asleep on them.
By the time summer finally apexed, they had to talk about it.
John sat down and opened his arm, and Bob curled into him. But John looked down at Bob, “So what movie did you pick Bobby?” Bob fidgeted with the remote.
“Actually, I thought we could just talk.” Bob glanced at John. “Okay then, about what?” Bob felt his stomach churn and he grew a little nauseous. He bit his lip, afraid that his tofu chilli would come back up.
Bob felt nervous, “I know we have a routine and everything, and I love that but I’m just a little confused.” He hated how nervous and small he sounded.
John nodded at him, “Okay, well, why?” Bob looked down at his lap, “You treat me so nice John. Why?”
John is a little taken aback. “Because you’re my friend, I care about you.” Bob shook his head, “Yelena is my friend too and she doesn’t let me cuddle her like this.”
John looks unimpressed, “Yelena is also weird about touching. I’m not.” Bob grows irritated, “You nearly punched Ava for sitting too close.” John’s face reddens, because Bob is right.
He doesn’t know why it’s different when it’s Bob. It just is. “Yeah but Ava is Ava, and you’re better.” Bob groans, “That’s what I mean! You say things like that..”
John frowns, he understands exactly what Bob is implying. He hates that Bob might be right. But he loves, no not loves, likes Bob more than he hates his vulnerability.
“Sorry, but it’s true. You’re better than them. You mean more to me than them, so yeah. I give you better privileges.” Bob feels a weight lighten off his shoulders, his face turns red.
“Yeah, okay.” Bob blushes and that was that. He rested his head back on John’s shoulder and they sat in silence.
Bob must have drifted to sleep, because when his eyes opened again, it was dark outside. But John didn’t move.
John scrolled on his phone, looking over recipes and…wait. He started scrolling through the SentryChef tag on twitter. So he knew. Bob tensed slightly, peering over his shoulder.
John scrolled on his burner account, and he did something that made Bob jump. He liked a tweet.
RikuNaaa: Bob blushes so hard when John is mentioned and he says they ARENT fuckin
John turned over to Bob, caught red handed. “Oh, hey Bob. You’re awake.” Bob blushed hard. And everything made so much sense. Why John let him cuddle him and why John dotes on him. God.
Bob smiles softly, awkward but soft. “Sorry I didn’t mean to read over your shoulder.” This time, it was John’s turn to blush. It was a rare sight. Bob wanted to see it more.
John looked away, “You saw that?” Bob gave a small hum. “Sorry, I really wanted a better way to tell you.” Bob shook his head and readjusted himself on the couch, fully facing John.
“No, it’s okay.” Bob reached out and held one of John's hands. “You mean a lot to me John.” Bob steadied himself, feeling nervous. “I really like you.” John smiled at Bob’s words.
John brought Bob’s hand to his mouth and kissed the other boy’s palm. “God, I love you, Bobby.” Bob’s face turned so red, and his chest tightened.
“I love you, John….” Bob’s voice was breathless as he curled up to John’s chest again. The air was different around them. It wasn’t ashamed like before, it was light and free.
John let Bob curl into him, pulling the blanket over him. Bob kissed John’s arm as his eyes slipped close. John kissed the other man’s forehead before he tucked his head under his chin. The two sat on the couch together, drifting to a dreamless sleep.