Chapter Text
In his down time Nate's taken to exploring the Waverider, all its hidden nooks and crannies, hallways tucked in a back corner leading places he wouldn't expect, like the mess hall or Ray's workshop, which is were Nate was now. He'd only been there a few seconds when he heard a voice coming from behind him.
“What're you doing here?” Nate spun around to see a figure tucked up in one of the back corners, a clear bottle of what smelled like vodka grasped loosely in his long fingers.
“I could say the same thing about you, Ray,” Nate said. “It's late.” Ray shrugged and thunked his head back against the wall.
“Time travel,” he slurred. “Doesn't... doesn't matter what... what time I...” he trailed off and finished off what little alcohol was in the bottle. “Doesn't matter,” he repeated. “I don't... I don't matter.” Nate didn't know what to say to that. Instead he walked over to the scientist and took the empty bottle out of his hand, setting it on a table nearby.
“C'mon,” he said, helping the other man to his feet. “You know that's not true. Mick would've died if you hadn't made the vaccine! You saved his life.” Ray shrugged, a tall order for a man who was half leaning on his teammate.
“Yeah. Doesn't matter, though. If I had my suit still he wouldn't've gotten bitten.” Nate sighed and lifted Ray up in a bridal carry, which made the scientist laugh suddenly, then groan and droop his head.
“Hey, if you feel like you're gonna puke, just tell me, Big Guy,” he said evenly. “Let's get you to bed.”
“Have to buy me dinner first.” Ray joked. Nate felt his cheeks flush at the implication. Of course he'd noticed Ray like that, and it wasn't like Nate hadn't thought about asking the scientist out once or twice since he'd joined this madcap adventure, but Ray was, or so he'd thought, straight as an arrow, no chance at anything beyond friendship and teammate camaraderie.
“Maybe later, Ray,” Nate said as they arrived outside the other man's bedroom door. “Right, I'm gonna set you down, and make sure you get to bed okay.” The scientist nodded and wobbled through the open door. Nate followed, trying to steady him so he could at least get to him bed. That turned out to be a mistake when the drunken scientist grabbed the front of his shirt and sloppily pulled the historian into an open-mouthed kiss. Nate felt himself stop breathing for a moment before regaining his faculties and breaking away, leaving Ray wobbling on the bed with a pleading, empty look in his eyes. It broke Nate's heart to see such a normally chipper man seem so lost.
“Ray...” Nate began.
“'S'okay,” the genius said quietly. “Everybody leaves me, in the end. Felicity. Lenny. Kendra. Anna,” Ray's voice cracked on the last name, leaking a kind of unbearable sadness that matched the exhausted, heart-broken look in his eyes. “I'm everyone's second choice, never first.”
“Hey,” Nate said softly. At any other time, he'd've been more than happy to try to kiss the tears away from the taller man's handsome face, make him feel loved and wanted. But right now, he was in no shape for anything other than sleep. Whatever potential they had together could wait until the morning. “It's going to be okay. Here,” He helped Ray take off just enough to be more comfortable under the covers, then tucked the taller man in like a child. “Sleep it off. I'll have Gideon keep an eye on you and we can talk about things in the morning.” Ray nodded, sniffling. After a moment, Nate leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Ray's forehead. This seemed to mollify him, and soon he was snoring, fast asleep under his old dark green comforter.
Nate sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He walked over to the small bathroom off the side of the bedroom and poured a glass of water and set it on the scientist's nightstand. One last look around and Nate was outside in the hall, walking tiredly towards his own room.
The morning would be difficult, but it would be, and if Ray remembered anything from that night, Nate's world would change even more than it already had.