Work Text:
"You know, since you're home now, I can take you out on a real date."
Ray is looking up at Joel with a wide smile on his face. It's only been a couple of weeks since Joel had returned, and his wounds were healing quite well. The bandage on his head got removed a day ago, and, while the bruise is still there to give proof on what had actually occurred, Ray was just glad that it wasn't as bad as it had been originally. Joel and him had been inseparable since their meet up at the airport, practically living in each other's apartments. One day Ray would go over to Joel's and end up staying the night and vice-versa, relaxing and getting to know each other more and more as the time went on.
They're sitting on Ray's couch now, the television going on in the background mindlessly as they speak, and Joel can't help the smile that spreads across his cheeks at the younger boy's words.
"Sounds good to me," he says with a smile. "What do you want to do, kid?"
Ray playfully smacks Joel's shoulder at the "kid" comment and tries his best to shoot a glare at him, but the smile on his face doesn't do it justice, and ends up laughing. "Watch your mouth, old man," he teases in retaliation before his expression softens. "I don't know. We could always go out to dinner?"
Joel considers this for only a moment, looking up at the ceiling in quick thought, before looking back at Ray with a grin. "Sounds good to me. When do you want to go?"
"How about tomorrow? I think I can get Michael to cover for me," Ray begins enthusiastically. He shifts a little closer to the other man, beaming at him.
Joel looks at Ray like he's the fucking sun, like somehow he's the best thing that has ever happened to him (which, in some cases, he has been, considering Ray has been the one that's taken care of him since he's returned to the states). His smile is wide now, and, subconsciously, he shifts just as close to the other, their faces only a couple of inches apart now.
"Sounds great," he whispers, before planting a soft, chaste kiss on Ray's lips.
-
Ray is rushing, knows for a fact that he's never been so nervous to go out to dinner in his life. He's frantically trying to change his clothes in the small and overly cramped bathroom that they have in the back of the Gamestop, banging his knees and head into every object that gets in his way.
"Shit," he curses loudly as he feels his knee connect with the low lying sink, trying his best to pull up his jeans in the process.
Ray hears a knock on the door and a chuckle from the other side. "You alright in there dude? If I didn't know any better I would have thought that you'd be doing something completely different."
Ray, finally managing to pull on his pants without injuring himself again, sighs a breath of relief as he comes out from the small room. "Yeah, well, it's not like you've done any better. Reminds me of that one time I caught you and Gav-,"
Michael, face turning beat red, brings up a quick hand to cover Ray's mouth. "We had a promise never to speak of that again."
Grabbing Michael's hand and pulling it off of his face, Ray belts a laugh, nerves making it much louder than it was intended, and at the back of his mind, Ray is grateful that they don't get too many customers at this time of night.
"Alright, shoo," Michael grunts with a smile. He makes a motion with his hand, much like what you'd do with a cat that was bothering you, in an effort to make Ray move faster. "Boss will be back any minute and if he sees you without your uniform on you'll be dead."
Ray makes no quarrels with the other boy, instead moving up to give him a hug. "Thanks again, bro. I owe you."
"You bet your ass you do," Michael replies with a shout. "Now go! Your boyfriend is already waiting outside."
Sure enough, as Ray turns around, he can see out the windows a car that's parked right outside, and although he can't see into the dimly lit vehicle, he knows for certain that it's Joel. His heart soars, and he wonders how he has fallen this fast, this hard. Ray's never been one for being gushy.
Making his way out of the store, he walks up to the car and climbs in. Joel looks over to him as Ray sits himself down hands positioned loosely on the wheel.
"Hey," he says, and Ray smiles back at the other with a full smile.
"Hey yourself," Ray retorts, and just like that, they're off.
The restaurant isn't too far away, just a small place not far from where Ray works. He's been there countless of times, and, apparently, so has Joel, but it's nice and just the right place for their first actual date.
On the way there, Ray's mind wanders back to what Michael said before. Boyfriend. Neither him nor Joel had ever really labeled their relationship before. The conversation really hadn't come up and it seems that neither of them were too bothered by this. However, Ray begins to feel that maybe they should talk about this, discuss exactly what it is that is going on between them and if it's all mutual or just one big misunderstanding.
It nags at Ray's mind, and, even as Joel pulls into the parking lot, it still bothers him. With as much force as he can, he pushes back those thoughts and decides that it can wait until later.
Both him and Joel get out now and walk silently up to the front door, smiles on both of their faces. Joel pushes open the glass door and, with his other hand, gestures for Ray to go in first.
A blush tinging his cheeks only slightly, Ray smile grows then and, for a second, he forgets about the whole boyfriend thing. "Thanks," he says with a whisper and moves into the restaurant, Joel right behind him.
They're seated not long after that, menus in both of their hands. They begin to talk and it's just as normal as it had been before. They talk about their experiences, what they like and dislike, and to Ray, it seems like he's finally seeing Joel, finally getting to know what makes him tick instead of just letters. It's a whole other experience all on it's own.
"So, like, are there any weird habits that I don't know about?" Ray says jokingly, and Joel laughs.
"You don't even know the half of it," he replies easily. "Not sure they're a good topic of a first date though, kid."
Ray laughs despite himself, because now is when he starts to think back to what Michael said again, now is when he decides to get paranoid and, although it's not really a bit of him to do this, he can't help but feel a little uneasy about the subject.
The air goes a little tense after that, but Joel doesn't seem to be acting any different than he normally is. He continues up his banter with Ray, but the queasy feeling in his stomach doesn't settle, not even when they get their food or even after they eat.
It doesn't last very long, the date, but Joel is smiling and that's all that matters.
They're on their way back now, back to Joel's apartment, and it's only then that Ray finally speaks up.
"So, um, I wanted to ask you something," he begins awkwardly. He rings his hands together nervously looking anywhere but at Joel.
With a startled expression, Joel shoots him a quick look. "Sure, yeah."
A lump forms in Ray's throat then, unsure of how to begin or even continue. "I was wondering what we are, I guess?"
Joel, trying to keep his eyes on the road as they finally begin to pull into the parking lot next to Joel's apartment, sends a quick and quizzical look over at the other. "What do you mean?"
Unlike before, when Ray opens his mouth, it's almost as if a dam breaks and everything he's been thinking for the past few hours spills out over his tongue. "I know that we've only been together for like, a couple of weeks now, but I don't- fuck. What I mean is is that I don't know if you even consider me to be your boyfriend or not. We haven't talked about it and- it's stupid."
Ray sighs in defeat, cheeks pink from embarrassment as he slumps into the passenger seat, wishing he could disappear.
Joel pulls the car into a parking space and, as soon as the engine goes off, he turns to the other. "Is that what you're worried about? That I don't consider you my boyfriend?"
Ray, ashamed at himself for even being so paranoid, nods, trying to slump further, hoping that if he does it enough, maybe he'll just become the chair.
And then Joel gives an honest to god chuckle. Ray, looking surprised, stares incredulously at the older man. "What's so fucking funny?" he asks, tone growing angry.
"I'm sorry," Joel says with a grin. "I just thought that you'd think we were together after, you know, the whole situation happened. I've been spending all my time with you and, hell, I even let you take fucking care of me."
"All you had to do was just ask," Joel finishes sweetly. "And, yeah, maybe I should have said something cause I'm pretty fucking bad at communication, but, uh, if you want, I'd really like for you to be my boyfriend."
Ray, who is now fully in shock, blinks once, twice, three times. He opens his mouth, but nothing comes out, and, finally, he settles for a nod cause if there is one thing he'd ever want it was to be able to call Joel his boyfriend.
Mirroring the smile on the other's face, he leans across and wraps Joel up in a tight hug, and the moment he feels Joel respond by joining the embrace, his grip grows that much tighter.
"Don't be afraid to talk to me, yeah?" Joel whispers, pulling back reluctantly. "I, uh, don't want you to feel like you can't talk to me about things, especially when to comes to us. I fucking love you, Ray."
Touched by Joel's words, Ray tries not to fall harder than he already has. "Okay," he says, and softly, he closes the distance between them with a kiss. "I love you too, you old fart."
-