Chapter Text
Ray's life was already pretty good, but now it was fantastic. Talking to Ryan was pretty sweet and hanging out with Ryan was fucking awesome. Since Ryan first asked Ray to hang out, they were joined at the hip. In result of that, the two groups of friends found out they worked perfectly together. Lunch time became more entertaining and game nights became more intense.
But, Ray’s crush on Ryan just grew and grew. It was pretty pathetic. Every time he smiled that stupid charming smile, Ray’s chest would flutter and warm up. And the stupid way his eyes seem to actually glitter when he talked about something he was passionate about. Or when Ryan just grabs his hand and they feel like their hands were meant to fit together perfectly. Ray had it bad for this boy.
When Michael and Gavin found out how bad it actually was, Ray just wanted the floor to swallow him up. They got their few jokes out, Ray could handle that, but it was that they were trying to set the two of them up every chance they got. Soon Geoff and Jack caught on and they started to join the mission.
One night, Ray couldn't handle it anymore and just asked Ryan if they could have a sleepover at one of their houses. Ryan gladly agreed, saying that it had been awhile since it was just the two of them. As the weekend drew near, Ray grew more anxious. He didn’t know why, they used to hang out together all the time. Well, they hadn’t since Michael and Gavin found out about his crush and started to push it.
His mom dropped him off at Ryan’s house and he walked up to the door. He hesitated at the door, trying to calm himself down before he knocked. When he did knock, the door opened a moment later by Ryan himself. His smile was bright and he looked like he was bouncing on the spot.
“Hey, Ray! Come on, I need to show you something!” He shouted behind him as he ran downstairs. Ray walked in the house and saw Mrs. Haywood come out of the kitchen, shaking her head at her son.
“Hi Ray, long time no see.” She greeted.
“Hi Mrs. H. How are you?”
“I’ve been alright, yourself?”
Ray shrugged. “I’ve been good.”
“Ray! Come on!” Ryan yelled from the basement.
“I would run along now before he drags you down there.” His mom said, chuckling to herself. Ray nodded and headed downstairs. He missed this basement. The Haywood basement was the entertainment room of Ray’s dreams. Games, movies, a fucking huge HDTV, and surround sound. Once Ray reached the bottom step, Ryan grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the couch.
“Look! Look at the screen!” He pushed as he pointed at the screen. Ray looked up and saw an achievement list for one of the Halo games. Ryan had perfected the game.
“Holy shit, Rye! That’s fucking awesome!” Ray said, playfully punching Ryan’s arm. Ryan beamed at him.
“I literally just got the last achievement a couple of minutes before you knocked.”
“I’m proud of you, man. Now, for the next one.”
Ryan immediately deflated and groaned. “Why do you do this to me Ray?”
Ray laughed. “Come on, I’ll help you.” He picked up a controller and turned it on. Ryan got up from his seat and set up the next game. The two played for hours, joking and team killing each other. Ray relaxed over time but he still was a bit on edge.
Normally, the two were leaning into each other or Ray was somehow in Ryan’s lap, but tonight Ray was still on the other end of the couch. Ryan looked over at Ray and saw him shivering. The basement was pretty cold but Ryan was a heat machine, so it didn’t really bother him. Ray was a different story, despite being from New York.
“Ray, are you cold?”
Ray looked at him and shrugged. “Yeah, but I’m fine.”
“You know, you can lean up against me if you need to.” He suggested.
“Nah, Rye, it’s fine.”
“I kinda find that hard to believe, because usually you’re all over me by now.” Ryan retorted, pausing the game and shifting to face Ray. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” Ray said, trying not to look at him.
“Ray.”
“What?” Ray said as he adjusted himself on the couch. He finally looked at Ryan and the concern on his face. “It’s nothing Rye. I promise.”
Ryan just looked at Ray for a few moments before grabbing him and forcing him to face him with their knees touching.
“If you’re acting like this, then it’s definitely something. You can tell me.” Ryan said softly as he pressed their foreheads together. Ray felt his cheeks heat up and he couldn’t look anywhere but at Ryan’s eyes. Damn those sky blue eyes. He sighed and decided to tell the truth, for the most part.
“Michael and Gavin found out something and they’ve been up my ass about it. Then, Geoff and Jack got involved too.”
“And that somehow affects our relationship?”
Ray nodded and closed his eyes. “They found out who my crush is.”
Ray could feel Ryan’s body tense up then relax. Ryan whispered out a little ‘oh’ and backed off from Ray. Ray looked at Ryan again and saw the sad look in his eyes.
“Rye?”
“I can kinda understand what you’re going through, Jack and Geoff found out who’s my crush too. Although, it wasn’t that hard for them to figure it out.”
“Oh.” Ray curled up into a ball, pulling his knees to his chest. “I hope that works out for you.”
“It won’t now.” Ryan mumbled before raising his voice. “I’m gonna get something to drink.”
Ryan stood up from the couch and headed towards the door. Ray watched him for a few moments, making sure he had heard Ryan correctly. Once he figured ‘yeah that’s what he said,’ Ray jumped up and grabbed Ryan by his arm.
“What did you say?”
“That I’m going to get something to drink? Did you want-”
“No, before that. Something about that it won’t work out for you now?”
Ryan’s face flushed and he stared at the floor. “I was hoping you wouldn’t hear that. But, yeah. It won’t happen.”
“Why?”
Ryan looked up at him, hesitant to answer him. “Because… Because he likes someone else.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because he just told me.” He said quietly, his voice strained. Ray stared at him as Rye looked at the ground again, defeated.
“Rye?”
“Yeah?”
Ray swallowed before he continued. “Is it me?”
Ryan just nodded. Ray felt a wave of emotion flow through him. He wasn’t sure what it was, relief? Happiness? Sadness? A mixture of all three? He didn’t care. He pulled Ryan into a tight hug as he started to stutter out apologies.
“Ray?”
“I like you too, asshole.” Ray muffled into his chest. It took a moment for Ryan to process what he said, but once he did, he laughed, wrapped his arms around Ray, lifting him up, and twirled them around.
"Ryan! Put me down!" Ray laughed. Ryan did as he was told and brought his hands up to cup Ray’s face. The way he looked at Ray, it made Ray’s chest swell up with warmth. It was like Ray was the light of his life.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because you make me so damn happy.” He whispered, pressing their foreheads together again. “Like my own little ray of sunshine.”
Ray snorted, tried to push Ryan away, and failed. “You sappy motherfucker.”
Ryan just chuckled and tilted Ray’s face up, leaning in. Ray met him halfway for a short yet sweet kiss. Ray smiled and felt absolutely giddy in his chest.
“Well, I guess this means I get to take you out for a date.” Ryan said.
“Can we just get pizza tonight and consider this a date?” Ray suggested, not being a big ‘going out’ fan. Ryan chuckled and kissed his temple.
“Of course.”