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she's so fascinating, so creative, so brave, so innovative, so kind, so playful, so gentle just so amazing
that was just Nigel rambling about Gillian, Ray learned with time he had a crush on her since forever and he thinks he should just confess. she obviously like him back. (they look at eachother so lovingly, how oblivious one can be?)
but then again Ray wasn't one to talk, he liked to believe he was kind of smart in most situation.
well he is smart in most situation, not love.
he was so oblivious about love or emotion that violet sometimes wanted to slap him in the back of his head because he just didn't acknowledge how dumb he was sometimes.
violet,Nigel and Ray were sitting on a table outside a café in Paris, their travelling journey was going as planned.
the others were in the Hotel or at the park close by. around them not many people passed, the café was pretty much silent (counting they were outside,of course)
let's be real, Ray was looking at something else. sure the sunset looked very nice but he was admiring (he wasn't staring, creeps do that) his best friends who were laughing and having the time of their lifes.
now he really wasn't being a creep, they just looked nice under the sunlight!
and maybe he liked the way his stomach flipped upside down when Norman spotted him a while ago and didn't say anything. he only spied on him from time to time with the sides of his eyes, when he catches Ray staring looking he smiles.
"you alright?" Nigel ask, tilting his head a bit (when did he stopped talking?).
"huh? yes- i meant yes, I'm okay" the unpleasant surprise of a warmth spreading on his cheeks and neck surprised him. why was he even blushing?
"you were looking into space" Violet states, and when he start to turn to face them he's the one spotting Norman looking at him.
"no I wasn't" he denies but obviously nobody in that table believes him. he was just glad violet didn't notice who he was looking at, that'd be very very awkward. hiw was he supposed to respond when he didn't even know himself why he was so interested in Norman and Emma.
"yes you were" Nigel doesn't help the uneasy conversation, trying to dig in the situation.
Emma knew what she was feeling.
she was in love with Norman and she was in love with Ray, of course.
it was so easy to tell. she felt kind sympathetic for the Ray, the poor thing didn't even realize when she made it- oh so obvious.
the post notes with little message she left here and there.
the words of affection being repeated much more often.
the compliments.
but he just doesn't get the hints! she used to think Ray was just faking to not know what was going on because he felt too embarrassed.
Ray is hard to read even when you've known him for 18 years.
sometimes he faked being unaware to avoid explain himself over 'embarassing' situation, sometimes he just didn't know what or why something was happening.
but she catched the way Norman looked over to face Ray when he was pretty much staring. she catched how Ray was talking with Nigel and Violet with a red face.
and the way Norman subtly smiled at him, the way Ray looked away, the way the boy besides her was holding her hand under the table-
she was about to explode. that situation was just too adorable, too cute for her own heart. she was such a sucker for cutesy things. big smile on her lips as she squeezed Norman hand.
he looked at her, questioning look on his face as he saw the smile.
"I'm just so happy we're together and everyone is safe" she went on, not really ready to tell him how she wanted to drag Ray in this too, but she wasn't lying either. she was happy everyone was fine.
but one thing that'll made Emma even more (if possible) happy was seeing Ray with them. seeing him being comfortable to just ramble about a new videogame he tried, seeing him use them as subject to test his new recipes, seeing him being open about his wants without feeling bad.
that would make Emma explode with joy.
"I'm happy too, everyone seems fine about this new lifestyle, it's reassuring" he stated, turning his head and tilting it above.
Norman om the other hand was kind of anxious about telling Emma about his feelings about the raven.
sure, it was obvious, but telling her straight away what he wanted was much easier. she could tell him straight away how she felt about that. communication's the Key for a healthy relationship after all
he took a deep breath
"is everything all right?"she squeezed his hand again, he guessed to make him look at her which he didn't.
"i think i like Ray" now he wished he wasn't so pale, he probably looked like a tomato. "no, i like him, maybe even love" he continued to stare into space.
Now Emma was truly imploding with joy
"do you really-" Norman interrupted her
"but you probably already knew, I acted so obvious to make Ray realize and get on with this already but it didn't work, I'm sorry if ut makes you uncomfortable-" he looked at Emma. he wished he wasn't so pale, he could feel his cheeks in fire.
"Norman"
"and i really don't know how to say this but i want-"
she just glared at him and it did work. he stayed silent.
"why are you worrying so much?" the question made Norman realize how he was acting too a bit oblivious.
"you like him too" he stated and to his pleasure Emma smiled.
"i love him. like i love you"
...
now both of them were cosplaying as tomatoes. it was the really first time Emma said those words in a romantic, Norman thought they were gonna arrive soon or later (mostly soon, Emma's affectionate after all).
ignoring the awkward situation Emma leaned on a Norman, murmuring something in his hear
they had three more days to get Ray into tha relationship. at least he had to acknowledge the situation. they wanted to do everything in Paris.
Ray woke up in utter confusion.
he shared the hotel room with Norman and Emma
both of them were getting dressed. Norman in the bathroom shaving with the door open, Emma sitting down trying to get her eye liner right.
he checked the time beside his single bed, 7:50.he groaned, he could've sleep for another hour or so.
"well good morning to you too" Norman stated, drying his face.
Emma smiled her good morning to him, "how'd you sleep?" he only hummed in response, sitting up on his bed with back resting on the wall.
"come here" he slurred, trying to fight away the sleep he still felt. guess staying up late staring at the ceiling wasn't such a power move..
Emma did as told and handed Ray her eye liner. he looked at it with a judgemental look.
"Norman can you pass me the purple bag in the bathroom, please?" he asked, handing the eye limer to emma.
when he had his bag he searched for his own liquid eye liner, struggling to find it.
"what's wrong with mine?" the ginger Asked with a soft put on her lips
"i hate that brand" he started to throw everything from the bag down to his bag and finally he found what he was searching for.
he opened ut and Emma leaned in. Ray started doing the little line she does for herself everyday.(how could she use that little much of eyeliner?)
she softly smiled and the raven sucked in a breath.
when Nigel and Violent and Him talked sitting down in that table Violet leaved him with a big question mark.
they told him many things that day and he started to think about what he wanted.(one of the main reason why he stayed up late today)
and what he came up with? he loved his best friend to death (quite literally)and he would like spend his life with them. physical attraction wasn't normal in friendship.
thinking your best friend looks good is a thing, staring at your best friend is another.
he used to excuse himself saying they didn't have a normal friendship but he had ti kearn the truth soon or later.
would he like to share his life with Norman and emma? of course
would he like to laugh and cry with them? fuck yes, he'd support them to death
would he like to share a bed with them? yes, in friendly way of course.
would he-
then, on a bright sunny morning in Paris Ray, a photographer student realized he was in love with his childhood best friend.
and now everything started to fit in, the puzzle was complete and he felt like a idiot.
the blushing while he changed his clothes beside Norman, the immense guilt whenever he didn't realize Emma was sad, the butterflies in his stomach, the smiles.
he stopped everything and he felt his face on fire.
"are you ok?" Emma asked. a hum in response, he was done anyways.
Norman watched them from his bed.
that day was hell, he decided to avoid them both. he didn't want them to know.
but to his surprise, when they decided to go to the park, both of then dragged him in a corner.
"Ray we have to tell you something very important" Norman words made him nervous
"go on?" he said, poker face on.
they both Started blushing like hell. what was wrong with them?
"uhm- we-" Emma choked out.
soon panic filled his chest, what happened?
"are you both okay? do i need to get-" Norman hand in his shoulder.
"we're fine,we just need you to ask something"
oh. then why didn't they weren't talking? is this a prank?
"is this one of thoma and lannions prank ?" he voiced is thoughts, "are you trying to-"
"would you want to join us? like in our relationship, like a polyamorous one j guesa" Emma finally spoke.
"what" the first he thought was the first thing he said. "you two-"
he didn't even knew they were together! but the thought of being their boyfriend made him feel so soft inside.
"what do you think?" Norman asked, nervousness on his face.
and fuck he was such a idiot, how could he be so stupid to not just trust them. they loved him. he loved them too. maybe he even liked them when he was twelve. now to his surprise he felt his cheeks wet and Norman and Emma worried gaze on him.
"no no no, don't cry we didn't mean-" Emma started to apologize only to stop when she saw the smile on his lips.
Norman was smiling too.
"yeah, I'd like to join you two" he stated, trying to dry his eyes, but for some reason tears keep spilling.
a hand gently pushed him from the back of his head to join a hug. he was openly sobbing now and he didn't even know why