Chapter Text
The two have been on friendly terms for a while now, maybe even ready to call themselves friends. They’re sitting under a dogwood tree, the same dogwood they had their little dispute at. Only now they’re getting along much better, and the buds of the flowers were starting to sprout with a few already blooming.
“How long do you think until we actually get some flowers?” Simon asked Gray, who was busy with his almost finished journal.
“(Hmm..not long, though they usually don’t take this long. They should be in full bloom at this time of the year.)”
“Huh, weird.. Well hopefully it’s soon, these trees look pretty when they’re full of flowers!” He looked over Gray’s shoulder to sneak a peak of him writing. “Whatcha working on now? If you don’t mind sharing that is, heh.”
“(Oh just some notes, nothing much..)”
There was a few seconds of silence as Simon was looking around, until Gray asked him, “(Do you…wanna hear them..?)”
Simon eagerly nodded and leaned in a bit closer. The next few minutes were of Gray info dumping about bugs, astronomy, whatever he had written in his journal. All while Simon was peering over his shoulder, looking into the book and then looking back at Gray. Until he caught Simon staring at him, but he just stopped talking to stare back at him. His eyes..they were nice…
“(You really like bugs huh?)” Gray stated, a smirk forming on his face.
Simon backed away with a blush of embarrassment as he rambled out, “I-I uh..yeah! They’re cool! So cool! Aahahahaha!”
He rubbed the back of his neck and scooted away a bit from Gray, who didn’t mind him being close but found his overreaction amusing. He told Simon that it was okay and continued writing. Simon was leaning against the tree, enjoying the breeze, but then he remembered something that he was going to ask Gray.
“Oh! Hey uh.. you wouldn’t happen to be busy later this afternoon?”
Gray looked up, “(Hmm? No.. why you ask?)”
Simon twiddled with his thumbs and looked to the side, wondering if he should ask the question he’s been dying to ask Gray since he made those plans.
He took a deep breath and said, “I uhh.. I was uh hoping..no..I was wondering if you were comfortable with…comingovertomyplacetohaveasleepoverwithmyfriends..?” He stiffened up and squeezed his eyes shut when asking that question.
“(I.. I’m sorry?)”
“…coming over to my place..to have a sleepover…with my friends?” He opened one eye to be able to see his reaction.
Gray blinked in confusion, trying to comprehend what he just said. “(Oh… I uhh.. I’m not sure… That’s uhh..)”
“I-It’s fine! Forget it! I know that was a big question to ask, I get it if you’re not interested in being around people. Especially when you don’t know them. Forget I said anything-“
“(I… I can try..)”
“Wha..?” Simon was surprised.
“(I mean, yeah you’re right. I don’t really want to be around your friends, no offense… But I mean, who’s going anyway?)”
“Oh, there’s me of course. Then my homies, Oren and Durple, and we invited Raddy and Wenda since they aren’t doing anything either!”
He noticed a sort of disgust look displayed on Gray’s face. Oren and Durple were alright, a bit annoying to him but he’s gotten used to Simon so he can probably get used to them too. However, Wenda and Raddy are even more unbearable to be around. How can Gray be able to hangout in a room for even a minute with them, let alone an entire night?
Simon immediately understood that Gray wasn’t keen on the idea of a sleepover with these people. “L-Look! I know they’re probably not your type of people to be around but they’re really good people and extremely funny. I’m sure you’ll understand them if you give them a chance, just like how they will too!”
“(Did you tell them I would be there…?)”
“No! I haven’t yet since I wanted to know if you would come, y’know? But if you’re not gonna come then that’s totally fine and I won’t say anything!”
Gray started wrapping up his things and then said, “(Well.. like I said, I’ll think about it… Not too sure if I want to go.)”
Simon got up and stretched his body, “Well it’s totally up to you and I don’t mind if you come or not. I.. I just want all of us to get along, y’know?”
Gray got up and shrugged, “(I guess, just that parties and sleepovers aren’t my thing… But.. we’ll see..)”
*pop pop* *beeeep beeeep*
“Popcorn’s done!” Durple shouted as he was getting the last bag out of the microwave “Ssss! Ouch! Ooh hot”
“Careful bud. Here’s the bowl.” Oren said as he handed him a big plastic bowl filled with popcorn.
The four out of the five friends were chatting it up, preparing the snacks for movies and playing Mario Cart in the meantime. The only one who had separated himself from the group conversations was Simon, who was distracting himself by eating chips where he was sitting. Near the door, staring at it, obviously waiting for…
“Simon, come on! You’re going to finish the Doritos, man!” Durple teased.
Simon shoved the bowl away and cleaned the crumbs off his face, “O-Oh, sorry I didn’t-“
“Dude, relax, we got more. You doing okay? You’ve been staring at the door for a while.”
“He’s waiting for his emo boy to come knocking,” Raddy hollered from across the room. He paused his competitive game with Wenda to give Simon a smug grin, “Am I right on that, Sy?”
Simon didn’t respond, but the slight blush and turning away to avoid eye contact just proves Raddy was right. He clapped his hands together and pointed a finger at him while yelling “I knew it!”
Wenda groaned in annoyance, “Why did you invite him? He’s going to kill the vibe!”
Simon stated, “He didn’t say he was coming! …Just.. he was going to think about it… B-But even if he is coming, he’s really not that bad! He is really great and if you guys get to know him..”
“Heh, ‘not that bad?’ Sorry, Simon, but he’s an asshole, you just got lucky with him!” Wenda scoffed.
“Asshole is a bit of a stretch, but I will admit.. his impressions on people aren’t the friendliest.. No offense, Sy,” Durple added.
“C’mon, stop worrying about some dude you only just befriend like, a few weeks ago, and start focusing on your actual friends and what’s really important…” Raddy said before pressing the continue button on their game. “Beating your ass at Mario Cart, Wenda!”
Wenda quickly got her controller to catch up. The two argued back and forth trying to beat each other. But Simon couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe they were right. He just got to know Gray as a person but he knew this group of friends for a long time… maybe he shouldn’t get so caught up in trying to combine Gray and his friend group. Simon can’t force people in a room together and expect them to get along.
“Mentos for your stanky ass chip breath?” Oren joked as he offered an unopened roll of mints to Simon. He accepted the offer and started unwrapping the candy.
“You can keep that one, I got plenty more”
Durple was trying to take the plastic rings off the cans of soda as he teased Simon, “Pfft, betcha can’t drink Diet Coke with those in your mouth without spitting it out.”
He snickered and finished arranging the cans out on the table and Wenda yelled out, “That’s what she said!”
However Simon took Durple’s joke as a challenge. Durple tried to tell him not to do it since it was stupid but Simon just continued on, “For however many mints I eat is how much you owe me… In tens!” He pointed at Durple.
Before Simon could act out on this… There was a knock at the door. Everyone paused for a moment, thinking who else it would be. Like the mailman.. at 8:45 pm? Maybe the pizza guy… even though nobody ordered pizza..
“I’ll uh…I’ll get it!” Simon exclaimed. Getting up from his seat, all cheery and excited but trying his best not to show it.
Gray played around with the straps of his bag, feeling anxious as he waited. What if they didn’t like him? He does display himself as cold and distant from the rest of the townsfolk, what if they aren’t as forgiving as Simon… Or what if this was all just some sort of joke, a ruse to make a mockery out of him! Maybe he should head back home while he still has the chance to-
*click!* Simon’s face was seen popping out of the door to greet Gray, like a puppy sticking its nose out when it hears the door opening.
“Gray! You made it! You actually did!” Simon exclaimed, “I mean, what I meant is that I didn’t expect you to come, I thought you’d be busy but I’m glad you aren’t! U-Unless you were busy in which case I am sor-“
“(Simon Simon! It’s fine! I wasn’t busy.. the opposite actually. So I thought, ‘why not just come?’ You know?)” Gray gave him a small, warm smile, one that wasn’t easy to get from Gray. Simon wishes he could capture that smile like a camera and hang it up on the walls of his brain..
“Yeah…. O-Oh! Uh do you want to come in? I mean! Pffft yeah of course you do..! That’s what you came here for!” Simon awkwardly laughed it off and opened the door for Gray, inviting him in.
When he entered, everyone looked at him. Half were disgusted to see him but all were surprised to see that he showed up. Gray started to feel nervous the longer he stood there, everyone staring right at him, knowing he shouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Simon. Maybe this was a bad idea…
“Guys,” Simon started, “I’m sure you know who Gray is! The super cool guy I’ve talked about.” He held his hands out next to Gray, like he was presenting something special, which might as well be to Simon. Gray felt slightly embarrassed about it but still buzzed a ‘hey’ to everyone.
They all said ‘hello’ back. Durple wanted to make Gray feel welcomed so he walked over with two different soda cans, “Thanks for coming man! The more the merrier, right guys?” Durple was looking directly at Wenda and Raddy but the two rolled their eyes and gave annoyed yes-es. He held out the two sodas to Gray and asked, “Do you prefer regular or diet?”
Gray asked for the regular cola drink while Simon took the diet. Simon opened it and took a big sip, still having that bet in the back of his mind with a freshly opened pack of mints in one hand ready for that moment. But for now, he wants to make sure Gray feels comfortable around his friends.
Simon put a couple of mints in his mouth to munch on, “So Gray, I’m sure you’ve known these people for a while from your perspective, but let my properly introduced them to you!”
Everyone he pointed to was given a brief introduction, “This is Oren who can somehow skateboard, Durple who’s pretty chill, Raddy who still thinks he’s the fastest runner in Sprunki-“
“I AM the fastest runner in Sprunki!” Raddy boasts.
Simon rolled his eyes as he pointed to Wenda, but before he can say anything she interrupts him, “Yeah I don’t think I need an introduction for Gray. We know each other very well, am I right? Buddy,” she smirked at Gray, mocking him.
Gray was silently buzzing like an angry wasp, he knows what message she was trying to send out. A reminder of the humiliation that he endured from her and others that were like her. He wishes he could spit in her eye before leaving, but he can only do half of that scenario. Gray doesn’t want to be there any longer…
Simon crunched on his candy, the tension in the room was thickening and he needed to do something about it! He cleared his throat, “Uhhh hey, Gray! We have Mario party, you can play my control if you want! I’m usually player 1 so-“
Gray sighed as he shook his head, “(…It’s fine, Simon. Coming here was a mistake…)” he muttered that last part.
As he was leaving, Wenda and Raddy were whispering to each other, “There he goes, raining on everyone’s parade once again!” While Durple and Oren looked at each other, knowing fully what was going on.
Simon can feel the guilt eating away at his stomach. Clenching the soda can, he walked with Gray, trying to convince him to stay.
Gray turned around and gave Simon a soft, reassuring smile, trying to not make him feel bad. “(Simon really, it’s not your fault. I just.. don’t think I should be here….)”
Simon felt even worse, his mouth was cold but his throat was dry from all this tension. As he started taking a big drink of his soda… he forgot about the mints..
Right before Gray could turn around and leave, he was sprayed by Simon’s spit take. He was coughing and fanning himself as some of the drink went to his nose. But he didn’t care about that, he got Gray soaked and probably made him feel even more humiliated.
And he’d be right as Wenda and Raddy were both bursting into laughter with Durple and Oren trying their best to keep a straight face. Simon can feel his face turning red in embarrassment while Gray looked at the two faces laughing right at them.
Gray turned to look at Simon, locking eyes as Simon started apologizing, “Gray, I am SO SORRY! I didn’t mean to I just forgot about-“
Gray couldn’t focus on what he was saying, he was paying more attention to the mess that was made. There was no way Simon didn’t remember there was mints still in his mouth before that happened, did he do that on purpose to get him drenched in soda? If that were it then why go out of his way to humiliate himself to? Was he trying to brighten the situation? Then why apologize immediately?
The more Gray thought about it, he starts thinking that maybe this was an accident that Simon completely forgot about. It just made Simon look like the dumb one, but Gray wasn’t all that surprised. Simon did invite him to this sleepover.. and befriended him… and stuck by him no matter what.. even though Gray was nothing but heartless towards him. But honestly, he was glad Simon did all that…
It made Gray smile, and giggle, and snicker under his breath. Until eventually he can’t help but laugh harder than he ever did before. Simon paused, and so did the laughter from others. Gray finds this situation funny? Simon guesses that this was kinda funny as he looked up at Gray and down at himself.
He laughed along with Gray until nearly everyone was laughing at this ‘sticky situation’ they were in.
As everyone was arguing in the living room over the multiplayer game they were playing, Simon was cleaning himself in the bathroom with Gray.
“Guess it’s good that you didn’t wear your pajamas until you got here, huh?”
Gray nodded, “(Guess so. How did you not remember you had mentos in your mouth, dude? That’s freaking stupid!)”
Simon flapped his hand at him, “Oh shut up!”
They finished cleaning up and started heading back out, but Gray grabbed Simon’s wrist, stopping him as he looked into his eyes.
“Gray? What’s wrong?” The yellow alien tilted his head with a concerned expression. “Look I completely understand if you want to go home, I won’t keep you here for long-“
“(No not that… I just..)” Gray looked away feeling embarrassed and nervous to admit this to Simon. “…Thank you.. for inviting me… and for being my friend I suppose…” He muttered so quietly.
Despite the loud bathroom buzzing and everyone yelling outside, that was all Simon heard.. Simon blushed with stars in his eyes, he can feel his stomach fluttering. He just couldn’t fathom what he heard from Gray, and that he SPOKE to him.
“Wow, Gray.. you must really mean that if you said it!” He giggled.
Gray let go of his wrist and looked away, “(..Don’t make a big deal out of it!)”
Simon nudged him, “Don’t worry, man! I won’t tell anyone. I was just surprised.. I didn’t expect you have such a soothing voice…” he blushed, looking at Gray when he told him, “I like it..!”
After they left the bathroom and continued their night plans with the entire group, Gray couldn’t forget what Simon said. Hearing his voice say that exact sentence over and over again in his head. Like a song on repeat… A song he never wants to forget.