Chapter Text
"Oh shit, dude!" I shouted before bursting out into laughter as my best friend Ray was about to be beat in his VS video against Ryan.
"Swearing won't help, Michael!" Ray yelled back playfully. "How am I losing in a Xbox game?!" The whole crew laughed as Ryan was taking his last shot at Ray's player.
Ray used his video game skills and dodged the shot and ended up defeating Ryan as a frenzy started in the small Achievement Hunter office. Geoff was recording the whole thing as Jack and I laughed at the whole thing. Ryan stood up in shame as Ray claimed the WWE Champion Belt as his prize for the 5th week in a row.
"Unbelievable! Ray did it again!!" Geoff screeched as he recorded the winner putting his belt on once again. I smiled at Ray as he lifted his head and he flashed his proud winner smile at me.
"So...who am I gonna beat next week, Geoff?" Ray said eagerly to know who he will be versing next time. He looked at me over Geoff's shoulder with hoping eyes that it will be me.
"Actually! That's a good question!" Geoff said with excitement as he turned his phone around so that his face was captured on the screen, "I will be hiring a new employee whom I met last week. So Ray," he turned the camera to a surprised face on Ray's face, "you will be versing your new co-worker!"
"Alright! Cool!" Ray said as he threw up two thumbs for the camera.
"See you next week!" Geoff said and stopped recording and put his phone down in front of his computer. "Alright, I'll edit that later. You guys are free to go now; unless you need to edit something..." Geoff glared at Jack and Ryan. "Alright, let me rephrase that; Michael and Ray, you are free for today. Be here nice and early to meet the new employee."
"Sure thing, boss." I said in a stupid voice and Ray shot up from his desk and grabbed my arm, yanking me from my chair. "Ray! Calm down!" I managed to snatch my phone from the desk just as Ray pulled me out if the room.
"Ray!!" I laughed out of breath as he pulled me out of the Rooster Teeth building and out into the parking lot. "Dude! Chill your tits, I'll follow you!" Ray finally let go of my arm as he nearly sprinted to his car.
"Ok. It's noon. We have the rest of the day to our selves." He said looking down at his watch and he unlocked the car and hopped in the driver's seat and I got in the passenger's side. He looked at me, "Got any plans for tonight?" I shook my head and he looked at his hand putting the key in the ignition. "Good. You would have had to cancel them."
***
It was now 3:30pm and Ray and I had been playing videos games at my apartment the whole time. Talking about work and life. We talked about failed relationships; his girlfriends led him on or I've never found the right person. We then talked about cool things to do in Minecraft as we continued to play.
At about 5:45 Ray put down the controller. He looked over at me and glanced down at the table as if he was telling me to put mine down as well. So I did. I leaned back on the couch, "What's up, dude? Wanna Coke?" I said getting up from the couch. Even though I was just getting relaxed I wanted to be a good host. I walked over the fridge and I heard him yell, "Regular". I grabbed a Coke for him and a RedBull for me. I walked back over to the room and placed the can on the table. I fell back in the couch and opened my RedBull.
I was about to take a sip when Ray spoke up, "Who do you think the new employee is?"
"I don't know, dude. Maybe someone he met at the tattoo parlor." I said shrugging my shoulders and taking a drink from my can as I slouched farther into the couch.
"Yeah. Maybe..." Ray trailed off and finally moved to pick up his can from the table. He opened it and stared into it for a moment before speaking again, "What if its a girl? Will you and I be fighting for her? We're the only single guys in Achievement Hunter...and we both want a relationship..."
"Well. Ray, it could be a guy. Geoff has hired all guys so far. So then we won't have to fight over him...but if its a girl, I won't take her from you, man. You deserve a good girl." I said.
Ray scooted closer to me and placed his hand over mine. I looked at Ray's face to see if he did that on accident but the serious face he had told me he meant to do that. "Hey. I'm sorry that you haven't found the right one yet. Maybe you just need to view all your options." He said gripping my hand tighter.
I didn't know what to do. Was he trying to make me gay? For him?I've only thought of him as a friend. Nothing more. Instead of completely rejecting him, which I knew how that felt, I smiled and placed my other hand on his.
I think I might have given him false hope because a huge grin grew across his face and he leaned in and slowly closed his eyes. I panicked. I didn't want to kiss him; I didn't like him like that. Or did I? I was so fucking confused. I acted quickly and pecked his cheek and backed up. He shot open his eyes and smiled the biggest smile I'd ever seen him have.
He sat up, released my hand and chugged the rest of his Coke. I watched as his Adam's Apple bobbed up and down then him slamming the empty can back on the table. "Ok, Michael!" He looked over at the clock on the cable display, "It's 5:50. Our reservation is at 7. I'm gonna go. Get changed, I'm taking you out tonight. I'll be back at 6:30 to pick you up."
I looked up at him as he went to toss his Coke can, "Where...? Reservation..? What?" I couldn't mange many more words after just holding hands with Ray.
He chuckled whilst he crushed his can with his foot and tossed it in the recycle. "I'm taking you out. A restaurant to be exact...unless you don't want to..." His voice trailed off and his eyes got dim.
Was he asking me out on a date? Am I going to give in and fall for Ray? I chuckled slightly at the thought of falling in love with Ray after we've been best friends ever since we got hired for Achievement Hunter. "Oh, no! I'm going. I was just curious about which restaurant you got reservations at..." I lied. I was completely thinking about this whole thing; Does Ray like me? Is this a date? Do I now have a boyfriend? Did I hold his hand? Did I really kiss him? All these things where running through my head.
His face lit back up and he grabbed his keys from the counter. He rushed into the living room where I still sat dumbfounded and pecked my cheek before saying good-bye and leaving out the door.
I sulked into my small bathroom and splashed cold water on my face to try to clear my mind. I found that did help so I just said 'fuck it' and took a shower. I tried to let the water sooth my nerves about that night but I ended up wanted to drown myself. I don't know if I wanted to date my best friend and risk losing him. I've never had a boyfriend either, what if I say something. What if I refused to go; would I break his heart? I turned the water all the way cold to try to focus my attention on the water, not the date.
After I had dried off I took one of my Rooster Teeth tee-shirts and put on a pair of ripped jeans. I walked over to the mirror to look at my hair. I let my curly, reddish-brown hair just air dry by running my fingers though it a few hundred times.
I stood at my door glancing out the window every so often to see when Ray would pull up in his car to pick me up. I don't know why my stomach was flipping; nerves about not wanting a date with Ray or nerves about wanting it. After a few minutes of me pacing the floor in front of the door, I heard a car door shut and I ran to the peep-hole. There I see Ray in a plain black tee-shirt with worn out jeans and some shitty old shoes. His hair was slightly gelled up and to the side. He also had trimmed his beard just a bit so he was looking less like a drug dealer now. I don't think he knew I was standing right at the door because he took off his glasses, spit on them and wiped them off using his shirt. He then popped in a piece of gum and chewed a few times before ringing my apartment door-bell. I chuckled a little bit as I thought about how hard Ray was trying when I really didn't care.
I opened the door and this big smile creeped onto his face as he saw my fluffy hair and my cheesy smile. "Ok, man. Lets go, I don't want to lose our table." Ray said stepping away from the door to avoid going inside to waste time. I nodded my head and turned out the lights in my apartment and shut the door and locked it before heading to his car.
Ray was already starting the car as I slid my way into the passenger's side. I looked over at Ray who noticed me glancing at him so he flashed yet another smile in my direction. I fake cleared my throat to try to snap Ray back to reality. "So..." I said shakily, "Where are you taking me...er, us?"
Ray snickered, "It's a surprise. But it's somewhere where we both enjoy going. Don't worry." He pulled out if the apartment complex and onto the road.
***
The drive took about 20 minutes with all the traffic in Austin. Ray and I would have the radio on and we would more or less scream the words to various pop songs with the windows down. We had a blast when we went down a crowed street and people would join us from the sidewalks.
We made it to this medium sized building with a half filled parking lot. I immediately knew where Ray had picked our 'date'; Dave and Buster's Restaurant, Bar and Arcade. This is where Geoff takes us all out if we accomplished something good and one time I mentioned to Ray that this was my favourite place to go, I guess he had remembered.
We walked inside and were greeted by a tall, blonde woman. "Um, Narvaez party." Ray said to the lady, his voice was shaking. The woman looked at her book and nodded. She grabbed 2 menus from under her podium and beckoned to us to follow her. She lead us to a table with two chairs and an empty vase resting in the center. "Thanks." Ray said to the woman as she placed the menus in front of the chairs and walked away.
Ray and I ordered a large, extra cheese pizza. We were eating for a little bit until a man dressed as Tuxedo Man flew into the room and placed a single rose into the empty vase on the table. I sat there confused as hell and Ray's laughter broke my confusion, "HAHA! Thanks man. I owe you one" Ray said shaking the Tuxedo Man's hand. He nodded and sprinted away. I looked at Ray who was now smiling like an idiot. "I hope you like that," Ray said, "it cost a lot extra!" We both laughed.
After we ate and talked for about an hour, I got up and stretched then looked at Ray, "So, Ray. Wanna play some games?" I suggested. He got up without saying anything and went over to me. He was inches away from my face and he whispered, "You're on."
***
"Dave and Buster's is now closing. Thank you for visiting." The voice blared over the speakers as Ray's watch beeped letting us know it was now midnight. We had been playing nearly every game in the arcade and had spent almost $200 worth. We laughed as we left the building and headed to his car. It was the only car in the customers parking.
We laughed all the way home talking about our game play and new inside jokes we made. He walked me to my apartment door and stood there for a moment.
"Hey, Michael. Thanks for going with me. It was fun."
"Fuck yeah it was! Thank you, dude! That was great!" I said turning to unlock my door.
Ray chuckled behind me. "Yeah. I've been wanting to take you out there for a while but we hadn't had enough time." Ray stopped talking when he heard my lock slid back into itself allowing me to open my door.
I opened my door and turned to Ray. His eyes were fixed to the ground shyly. Was he sad? Damn dude, I'll see him in the morning. "Ok, man." I said breaking the silence, "I'll see 'ya in the morni-FUCK! I left my car at work today!"
"I'll pick you up in the morning!" Ray jumped right on it.
"Ok, God thank you! Geoff would had killed me if I missed work tomorrow. 'Ya know, with that new member and all..." My voice trailed off as Ray stepped closer. I cleared my throat as his face was about a foot away from mine, his eyes fixed on my lips. "Uh. Yeah ok. So you'll pick me up abo-" I was cut off with Ray's lips on mine. I froze. I didn't move my lips but I could feel Ray's attempting to move them. His hand bushes against my cheek and I could feel him try to close the space between our bodies. I just couldn't find myself to move my lips with his. I felt my face heat up with embarrassment because I just didn't feel this was right. I gently pushed his chest away and his face broke from mine with a tiny grin. I forced a smile on my face as I stepped inside.
"Good night, Michael. I'll see you in the morning!"
"Ok. Good night." I said over my shoulder as I closed and locked the door. I was speechless. I turned on the light and walked into my bedroom. I silently opened my closet and got my PJ's and slipped out of my jeans and tee and put on my sweats and an old-torn shirt from my high school days. Without words I stepped into my bed and put my glasses on the nightstand and shut the light out.
***
I didn't sleep much because I couldn't decide my feelings of the night before. Ray's advice on me finding the right person, holding hands, the 'date' and him kissing me. It was all so much to take in at once. Ray and I had been best friends since the day we meet when Geoff hires him a few months after me. Did he like me then? We've been hanging out for the longest time, even when we both had girlfriends. Did he like me then? Then I would think, does he think we're together now? I was tossing and turning all night long. I started on one of my thinking trains with it was stopped abruptly when the door-bell rang.
"Good morning, Michael!" Ray said too eagerly for this early in the morning. "Let's go! Don't want to be late for the new gang member!" Ray was trying to be funny again. I just rolled my eyes and gave him a sympathy grin.
The ride went good, we talked about video ideas and what we had to do that day. We got there just in time. We had both sat down in our office along with Jack and Ryan when we heard Geoff come in.
"Ok fellas!" Geoff said into the Achievement Hunter office, "Ready to meet your newest co-worker?" Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the door as Geoff stepped farther into the room. "Ok, Gavin, you can come in!" He shouted at the door causing his voice to crack. The door slowly opened reviling a tall, thin figure. The sun shining through the window made it hard to make out his face so when the man walked farther into the office I could see more of him. I lost my breath when I saw his face. I looked over at Ray who was watching my every move now that he saw me sigh into my computer. I glanced over at this new man again and butterflies entered my stomach. "God fucking damnit" I murmured to myself slowly returning my focus on my desk.