Chapter Text
It began innocently enough, Ray thought.
He and Jemima were having their bi-monthly girls night. Or as Jemima called it, Raymima time. Don and Gilda teased Ray for playing favorites, but he couldn’t deny that he did have a soft spot for Jemima. Ever since he had picked her up and comforted her on that dark, terrifying night, Ray felt a special bond with her.
When she had been younger, they’d take trips to the local zoo or museum, but now that she was thirteen, she’d started requesting “girls nights”. The kids still weren’t allowed to go out on their own without stringent background checks. The Ratri clan was nothing if thorough and this ruled out many sleepovers and hangouts with friends. Ray, unable to see his favorite younger sibling cry over feeling left out, rolled up his sleeves, broke out the nail polish set, and spent two nights a month watching chick flicks and listening to gossip about middle schoolers.
The other kids were out with Norman and Emma at the small movie theater in town for their own movie night. Set up weeks in advance, the theater had been rented out just for the former cattle children. Ray and Jemima more or less had the house to themselves. The few stragglers left were off somewhere else in the house entertaining themselves.
“So, then she said that Sara liked him this whole time!” Jemima said. Her tongue stuck out of her mouth as she bent over Ray’s hand, concentrating on painting his nails. She chose a deep, forest green today. It matches your eyes, she had said, waving the tiny bottle in his face.
“Uh huh,” Ray said. He raised his free hand to brush his hair out of his eyes.
“Hey!” Jemima said. “Be careful!” She pulled Ray’s hand down, examining his nails. She let his hand go after satisfying herself that he hadn’t ruined her hard work. “But Hans didn’t know that Sara likes him and now he does! But he likes Ellie and just likes Sara as a friend. Now she’s all embarrassed,” Jemima said. She was now dabbing a spot of brown polish on the nail of his ring finger.
“What are you doing?” he asked, leaning closer.
“It’s a bear,” she said smiling. “The bottle says forest, so you need a bear!” Ray felt a soft smile spread across his face. She was so cute. The TV was playing a rerun of her favorite show. Something about a group of teenagers in high school doing teenager things. Ray wasn’t familiar with how school in the human world worked since he’d spent his teenage years running from demons and trying to twist destiny to save his family. He was glad Jemima would experience it. It was for her and the other kids that he committed to becoming a makeshift parent and leader in order to give them a stable and loving home. Ray wasn’t a natural, but he’d do his best, he thought, as he watched Jemima chatter away happily.
“Hey, Ray, do you like anyone?”
Ray spluttered. Jemima was looking up at him, eyes wide. “When would I have time to like anyone?” he asked, side-stepping the question completely. Jemima shrugged.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I was just wondering.”
Ray turned his eyes back to the TV. When would he have time to like someone? It was a valid question. 95% of his time was spent making sure all the kids were healthy, fed, safe, and nagging them about folding their laundry properly. The rest of the time, he spent on his college classes.
Ray was very close to finishing a dual degree in engineering and physics. Not because he particularly enjoyed the subjects, but because they would give him the most practical knowledge to survive and understand this world. Each of the older kids had picked something to master in order to build useful knowledge banks. Ray, ever the masochist, chose engineering and physics. Gilda chose environmental studies, Don politics, Norman psychology and anthropology, and Emma sports medicine.
It was funny—or maybe sad. As the younger children relaxed and became used to their new life, the older children became ever more alert. They planned, planned, and planned some more. Many of their late night discussions were about the kids. What else could they do to ensure their safety and success? How long could they rely on the Ratri clan for support? How could they integrate with the world, leave this manufactured community that wasn’t so different from Grace Field, and step into the real world?
Ray huffed in amusement. Where was he supposed to find time to like someone in the middle of all this?
Jemima sat back. She finished Ray’s nails with a flourish. She was getting better, he thought. The bear almost looked like a bear. It was a little lopsided and the eyes were too big, but it was recognizable. His stomach grumbled suddenly.
“I’m hungry,” he said.
“But you can’t move!” Jemima grabbed the bowl of popcorn next to her. “Here, say ‘ah’.” Ray opened his mouth obligingly and she tried to throw a piece of popcorn into it. It bounced off of Ray’s nose onto the floor. “Oops,” she giggled. “Let me try again.” She threw another piece and this time it bounced off his forehead.
“Hey,” he said, rubbing the butter from his forehead with the back of his hand. “You’re not even trying.” She laughed, caught in the act.
“Okay, okay, let me try again.” She threw it with pinpoint accuracy this time and Ray crunched on the popcorn. The salty flavor burst across his tongue and he opened his mouth for another. They spent the next ten minutes throwing random food from increasing distances and seeing if Ray could catch it.
“I think that’s enough. I’m full.” Ray held up a hand to stop Jemima from throwing another chicken dumpling across the room. She left the plate on a table and came running over.
“Is it dry? Is it dry?” she asked.
“I think so.”
“Yay! Time for facials!”
Ray was dutifully sitting still, bangs pinned back, when Emma, Norman, and the rest of the kids came home. Thoma and Lani sniggered from behind Norman’s back. Ray rolled his eyes. Some of the younger kids ran into the living room excitedly yelling for their turn. Emma came in last, locking the door behind her. She smiled at the scene. Her expression was soft.
The dim light bounced off her orange curls. Her hair was as messy as ever. Ray was suddenly very aware that the pins he had in his hair were Emma’s. She caught his eye and her smile became wider, sweeter. Ray felt a rush of heat through his body, glad for the face mask Jemima was piling on so his burning blush couldn’t be seen. He looked away.
Looks like he had found time to like someone.