Finally we're here, I've been pushing this back long enough so I figured I'd just bite the bullet and go for it here. This one will not be updated like the last, I don't have that many chapters pre-written to do that and last time really killed me doing it that way. More than likely, if I can keep up with it, the updates will fall on the first and fifteenth until we hit the end. Whenever that will be, I'm not sure but I don't expect this one to be as long as the first or anywhere near good as the first.
The rating is higher, M for sex, alcohol, will more than likely swing back around into the abuse the boys have endured at some point. I'll make sure to post the warnings per each chapter where it is needed; as for this chapter there isn't one though.
As always, I look forward to everyone's thoughts on this even if it's just getting us back into the swing of things and familiarized with our boys.
Enjoy!
Ch 1- Old Faces. Saturday, August 1, 2020.
Ray walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, as he stepped inside. Natasha at the stove making breakfast for their enlarged family, Micah and Kai already sat down, each with their own morning papers open on the top of the table.
"Morning hun." Natasha called over her shoulder, plating the eggs and bacon for them.
"Mornin' mom." Ray yawned, taking himself to the coffee maker as he dragged his feet.
"You boys have a long day today?" She questioned, bringing the plates over to the table where Ray met her and sat down beside Kai on his right at the little round table.
The two of them nodded, Ray sipping at his coffee quietly as she put his plate down in front of him. It had been a long night too, but she didn't need to know that. Kai looked more put together than he did, not to mention he looked pretty damn smug as he had watched him come in; hair a mess and not done.
Least Ray had the good sense to put on a shirt to cover the hickeys he had left the night before, finally having the house alone for a change they couldn't keep their hands off of each other.
They had just graduated high school in May, had been together and lived together under the same roof for almost two years now. Mariah had her baby over the summer before their senior year, and after Johnny was forced to pay up his dues he skipped town in order to go to a different high school in a different state. Max and Tyson were still together, Kenny was accepted to Yale and had moved over the summer and they hadn't heard much from him since.
Tala was in his second year of college but he and the other two were going to separate ones, the last time they had seen their brother was over the summer during the break. Bryan was in the picture somewhere, since the two of them were butting heads again like they always did.
Kai's nineteenth birthday was one day away where Ray wouldn't be turning nineteen until October, but with them still trying to find a place to move to for college they had pushed down the idea of doing anything for Kai's birthday; and he wasn't complaining since they had celebrated enough the night before.
They had three weeks left before the semester started, had gone through all their resources to find a place near enough that was within their budget but neither had come to agreeing on one place together. Either it was too small in Ray's opinion, or it was too far from the campus and expensive in Kai's opinion. Today was their last day to go back out and look and settle on something, cash in hand, so they could get settled before being thrown into the hectic college life that awaited them.
As Ray nibbled on his piece of bacon he looked over Kai's shoulder at the apartment listings, they had done this so many times over the summer that it was finally getting to him. He didn't care at this point what they got as long as they had something, just to cement it that they were finally becoming adults and needing to leave the nest of their adoptive parents.
Natasha and Micah had tried to adopt him once things settled but he had declined the offer. He knew they loved him just as much as he loved them, but it wasn't needed being as old as he was and they accepted that.
"What about this one?" Ray asked as he pointed at the listing Kai had been staring at for a while now, as if he had already picked it out in his head.
"Can check it out, see if they have one available." Kai muttered, not wanting to hold out too much hope that it would be good enough for his boyfriend.
"It looks cute." Natasha offered, peeking up at the paper across from her.
She was just as tired as the two of them with this, having to hear it constantly when they didn't think either her or Micah were listening. The two could go around in circles for hours with no end at times, she was dreading saying goodbye to her babies but she was at the end of her rope with the two of them just the same. The sooner she could kick them out the better in her opinion.
"Hn." Kai snorted before pulling out his phone and putting in the address of the apartment complex for later, folding up the paper so he could eat.
Ray was about done eating and took his plate to the sink to wash when he was done, needing a shower to fully wake up he took himself back through the living room to the bathroom. Once he was out of sight and ear shot Natasha turned to Kai, giving him a soft sympathetic look.
"Just compromise honey, I know it's not easy but something is better than nothing at this point." She tried to reason calmly.
Kai rolled his eyes, that was all he had been trying to do since the house hunting had started back in June.
"Tell him that." He snapped at her, the lack of sleep getting to him more than anything.
Natasha sighed and sat back in her seat, not bothering to get into it with him when he was in this mood. It wouldn't do any of them any good anyways. Micah finished his breakfast and kissed his wife goodbye, taking his plate to the sink and stepped out of the house.
Kai had barely watched him go, picking around at his eggs as he sat there in silence with Natasha watching him until she was done. Picking her plate up she took it and put it on the counter by the sink before she went off to her own room, leaving him there in silence.
Putting his fork down he pushed himself away from the table, might as well start the day and get it over with. He could only hope in the end they came back with good news, otherwise Natasha had threatened to find a place for them regardless if they liked it or not.
He stepped into the bathroom to brush his teeth, Ray never locked doors behind him and slipped right in and shut the door behind him. Ray poked his head out from behind the curtain, giving him a questioning look.
"Did mom leave?" He whispered, looking slightly hopeful.
Kai shook his head, toothbrush stuck in his mouth.
"Oh…" The hopeful look in Ray's eyes died away causing Kai to smirk around his toothbrush.
"Really?" Kai asked once he had spit and rinsed, putting his toothbrush in the holder that sat in the corner on the counter.
"What?" Ray asked playfully, seeing the glint in Kai's eyes.
Kai shook his head a little at him, already getting his shirt off to join him.
"I saw you limping." He said smugly as he stepped closer to the shower.
Ray moved towards the front of the shower so Kai could join him, obviously not caring that Natasha was still home at the moment. They weren't going to do anything, he knew that, since his back side was sore from the night before but still felt his stomach twist in knots as Kai joined him.
"Promise me something." Kai said behind him, getting splashed with the water bouncing off Ray's shoulders.
"Hn?" Ray mumbled as he worked the shampoo into his long locks, switching places with Kai so it didn't run out right away from the spray of the water.
"That we can settle on this place, I don't care what it looks like at this point but we need to find something." Kai said as he ducked his head under the water, soaking his two-toned hair where it lay flat around his face and shoulders. Over the past year and a half it had grown out more, the back of it reaching his shoulder blades now.
Ray paused in lathering his hair, he knew this stupid thing needed to end and he nodded. He didn't care what it looked like on the inside either at this point.
"Yeah, that's fine. As long as it has the room we need."
"It's just us, we don't need a two or three bedroom. Hell I could live in a studio and I'd be happy with it, I just need you to be on board with it." Kai said, popping his own shampoo bottle open and switched places with Ray so he could rinse his hair out.
"For what they were asking with that studio it wasn't worth it, and you know that. Not when we could get something with an actual bedroom for the same price." Ray said, ducking his head back under the spray of water.
Kai rolled his eyes at him, it never ended it seemed but Ray had a point. He would rather have an actual bedroom than just an open floor plan where he had to stare at everything all at once and all the time, not to mention being able to shut the door and block Ray's music out if he wanted to sleep in or something.
"Alright, let's just try today. Okay?" Kai gave in, not wanting to start something neither of them would win while in the shower.
He was already risking enough with Natasha still home, they didn't need her standing outside the door waiting to lay into them for doing this while she was still home. That was her only rule between the two, knowing she couldn't stop them fully but didn't want to be around in order to know it was going on.
"Okay." Ray conceded with a small sigh, switching places with him so he could condition his hair.
The two falling in silence as they finished their shower, nothing more and nothing less, and stepped out with towels around their waists. Kai poked his head out the door, Natasha's bedroom door was still closed down the hall and he stepped out and headed towards his room across the hall quickly and quietly. Ray following after him going to his own, closing the door behind him so he could get dressed.
A while later, dressed for the day and their hair dried and done up how they saw fit they met back out in the living room. Ray's keys hanging off the belt loop of his jeans, while Kai was making sure they had the money in their account on the bank app in case this was the one they could finally settle on.
"Ready?" Ray asked as he walked up to him, his keys making a slight jingling noise as he approached him.
Kai nodded, his brows furrowed as he saw one transaction that pissed him off. Getting into it with him right there wasn't the best option though, not with Natasha still down the hall.
"We're leaving now Ma!" Kai called through the house, getting out of their bank account and pulling up the map app on his phone and setting in the address.
"Alright, good luck boys!" She called back, poking her head out of her bedroom while she was towel drying her flaming red hair.
Ray went to follow Kai outside and paused, "What did you want me to pick up for dinner?"
"I'll message you the list." Natasha called down the hall, obvious that she wasn't going to come in and see them out.
"Okay, bye mom." Ray sang out to her, following Kai outside in the cool autumn air.
They climbed into Ray's truck, getting it started and pulled out of the drive once the heat got going. The two sat in silence, Ray following the directions the GPS off Kai's phone was giving him until they pulled out of their city and started down the highway towards their destination. It was going to be a decent two to three hour drive, if there weren't any wrecks or back up.
Kai settled into his seat, Ray's music just barely loud enough so he could still hear the GPS as Kai started to debate whether they should get into it now or later. Finally the worse part won out, turning the music off and earning him a heated glare from Ray.
"The hell?" Ray snapped, nobody touched his music and Kai knew that.
"We need to talk." Kai said, not taking his eyes off the stretch of road and the cars in front of them.
Ray went quiet, already seeing the look in Kai's eyes and the wheels turning in his head. Not missing the way Kai's face had hardened, leaving Ray to wonder what was going to come out now.
"Okay…"
"I thought you quit." Kai said, not holding back the growl or darker tone.
"What're you talking about?" Ray asked, though his heart sped up in his chest.
"Really?" Kai snapped, turning to look at him harshly. "It's right there on the app if you want me to pull it up." He shot at him, already ready for this battle. Whether he would win or lose he didn't care, he was just tired of this.
Ray went quiet for a minute; how could he deny it to him? He was always careful with buying his cigarettes now that they shared a bank account, pulling out money when he needed them but had just went in the other day without thinking after a long shift at work.
"I bought one pack, it's not the end of the world. I haven't had one in months." Ray told him, even though it was a partial lie.
He had tried to give it up over their senior year, it brought out the worst in him during that time and they were close to a break up it had gotten so bad. Ray relented, having nowhere to really go, and they reconciled like they always did but the craving for nicotine was still there and he caved shortly after.
"Enough is enough Ray." Kai sighed, pulling a hand down his face. "I thought you were on that medication for them?"
"I was… Until the nightmares got too bad that I stopped." Ray answered, slightly shaking at the memories of the dreams he had while on that medication.
Kai glanced at him sympathetically, he remembered all the times Ray would come crawling into his bed in the middle of the night crying and inconsolable. With another heavy sigh Kai shook his head, he just didn't want him putting his health at risk.
"I don't want you to get hurt, you're already coughing up a lung as it is. You're almost nineteen and you sound like a sixty year old man."
Ray nodded a little, "I know…"
"Then stop! Find something else to help you if the other won't!" Kai bit at him angrily, not caring for Ray's carefree attitude about it.
"Fine! I'll see what else I can do!" Ray yelled back, taking his eyes off the road for a second to stare at him heatedly.
The two got pulled out of staring at each other as a car whipped past them, the driver laying on his horn as he drove by and flicking the two of them off as he sped away.
Ray jerked back, he hadn't done anything at all. That guy had been crawling up his ass the entire time, already doing five over the speed limit since they had been on the highway.
"The fuck is your problem!?" Ray yelled at the speeding car.
"If you kept your eyes on the road!" Kai yelled at Ray, trying to still his frantic heart.
"He was up my ass the whole time! His fault not mine, I didn't do anything!" Ray defended, gesturing with one hand at the car that was still swerving through the traffic in front of them.
"You moved over into the other lane!"
"No I didn't!" Ray argued back, he knew he hadn't. The truck barely moved when he had turned to look at Kai. "You wanna drive?!"
"If you can't do it right!" Kai didn't let up, the two now too far in a yelling match to reel it back in.
"If you stopped yelling at me we'd be fine." Ray growled out, eyes forward this time and not willing to give up his position in driving.
Kai closed his mouth, going to settle in sitting there in the tension between them. Ray kicked up his music, drowning out the GPS's voice in the process but he didn't care. Kai could relay the directions as they popped up, if they got lost it would be his fault.
They almost did, Ray almost passing their exit which spurned another fight that lasted until Ray finally pulled off at another exit and stopped at a gas station. The two climbing out, slamming their respective doors. Kai went inside to get something to drink while Ray topped off the gas, the two hardly sparing each other a word with one another and they were hardly an hour into their trip.
They switched places, letting Kai drive as Ray took up the passenger seat with the energy drink Kai had gotten him as his peace offering. It didn't last long, the second they were back on the highway, Kai's phone hooked up to the Bluetooth now and no music between them, Ray had rolled his window down and lit a cigarette.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Kai asked, glancing at him through the corner of his eyes.
"You'll get over it." Ray muttered, taking a long drag from it before blowing out a cloud out the window.
"Give me the pack." Kai said, holding his right hand out.
Ray gave it to him, watching him crush it in his hands and smirked a little. "It's already empty."
Kai made a noise, tossing the crushed and empty pack on the floorboard by Ray's feet.
Ray's smirk only grew, settling back in his seat as he finished his cigarette and tossed it in the empty pack on the floorboard before putting it back down there by his feet. The silence looming over them the rest of the way, neither had anything else to say to each other.
Eventually they made it through the construction that had plagued the highway for the last hour, pulling up at the housing office. The air seemed to have cleared, the two tired from the drive and stretched out when they closed the truck doors.
Ray met Kai at the front of the truck, holding his hand out for him like he always did and Kai took it before they started towards the front doors of the housing office. It was big, bigger than most of the ones they had stepped into through the past two months. A rather older woman sat behind a desk, three others empty with one younger looking man at the one in the back.
"Hello, how can I help you?" She asked, looking up at the two and clocked their hands together and her cheery smile fell slightly.
"We were wanting to check and see if there was any availability on a one-bedroom." Ray said as he stepped up, putting on a fake smile like the woman had.
The woman, whose name was Marg according to her name plate, looked down at her computer. There was a long silence before she finally looked up at them.
"There is, would you like to take a look?"
"Yes please." Ray said, his smile becoming more real.
The thought of having called first hadn't even passed their minds before they had left the house, it was just by luck it seemed that there was one available.
The woman glanced back up at them and then put on a fake frown, "I don't suppose either of you are over the age of eighteen?"
"I'll be nineteen tomorrow." Kai said, not liking the woman already. He had saw the look of disgust on her face the moment they walked in.
"ID?" She asked, her frown faltering.
Kai huffed and pulled out his wallet, handing over his driver's license. The woman glanced at it for a minute before giving it back, there wasn't much she could do about it now.
"If you two would follow me and I'll show you the apartment." She gathered the keys from the back room before coming back out, leading them outside through the back doors where a line of golf carts sat.
Kai took the front seat beside her while Ray took up the back one, grabbing onto the bar in front of him as Marg jerked the golf cart out of the parking space.
The apartment actually sat near the main road where other buildings stood beside it, it was the end lot which gave them more of a side yard than a back one. A white eight foot plastic fence encaging it around the side, and the stairs that took them inside. It was more of a townhome than an apartment, three stories with the garage on the first floor. The front yard was decked out with colorful flowers, it's own mailbox at the end and a small open space for the trash can and recycle bin to go near the end of the driveway on the other side of the mailbox.
Marg put the golf cart in park in the driveway, getting out and going to the gate to unlock it with the two coming up behind her. Already they were liking the look of it, there was a café just down the road that they had passed and some other smaller shops on the way. The college was less than ten minutes down the road, Ray would need to transfer for work but that had already been brought up months ago and was being processed.
Stepping through the gate Marg held it open for the two, taking the lead again to get them up the stairs that sat outside towards the front door. Already Ray's mood dropping, he hated stairs and if it was to rain while carrying in groceries it was going to suck. Kai didn't have an opinion on the place yet, the yard was decent sized and paved with enough room for a grill out there and a few tables and chairs. The extra security with the gate was enough for him to like the idea already though.
"It's one bed one bath, all on the third floor. All major appliances are provided except a washer and dryer, those you can hook up in the garage though if not there's a laundromat down the road." Marg listed off as she got the front door open for them, stepping in.
The smell of fresh paint hit them instantly, Ray still eyeing the stairs behind them worriedly. There was hardly a landing there and the idea of trying to bring in furniture into the place was already enough to make him want to walk right out. Kai stepped further inside, taking everything in quickly and quietly.
It was decent sized, the stairs for the second floor right by the door giving them little wiggle room between the door and the bar that wrapped around the kitchen that sat across from the door in a slight alcove of the room. Already Kai was mentally picturing where things could go, there wouldn't be room for a dining table but they could get some bar stools to sit on instead and still leave enough room between them and the stairs for a walkway.
Everything looked modern, stainless steel appliances and white granite counter tops. The floor was a dark hardwood throughout with light gray painted walls, there was a large ceiling to floor window right by the door that gave them the view of the back yard, the same type of window sat across the other side of the room where they could see the road and their driveway, with one more right at the end of the stairs that looked out to the side of the place where the stairs outside were.
Marg had went off doing her explanation about the place as she led them up the stairs, they were modern looking like the rest of the place where they were just slats where you could look between each step with a glass railing. Up on the second floor was a decent sized loft, the same type of window like on the first floor facing the backyard. There was a small alcove on the other side of the stairs, a door on the wall that sat by the alcove and another to their left.
"Bedroom is through this door and the bathroom is through here." Marg said as she went to the door across from them, opening it up for them and stepped back.
The bathroom was long, a shower and tub combination to the right with a two sink vanity across from the door and the toilet down at the left in it's own little alcove. The hardwood floor followed into the bathroom, the walls done with a white tile. There wasn't much left to look at, it would work for the two of them and even more with two sinks.
The bedroom was a decent size, with another ceiling to floor window giving them the view of their driveway and road. There was a simple closet no bigger than the one they had at Natasha's place at the corner of the room by the window. Another window sat on the left of the room from the door, the floor had a light brown carpet, the walls white that Marg informed they could paint if they wanted but would need to repaint when they moved out.
Once again Kai was mentally picturing where everything could fit, the bed would no doubt have to go under the window that looked out to the side of the apartment. There could be room for a wardrobe in the corner of the room by the other window, it would be a tight fit regardless of what they put in there but it was better than not having a place at all.
Ray hadn't said anything so Kai took that as a good sign through it all. The last place they checked out was the garage, it wasn't big enough for Ray's truck and that didn't help him like the place anymore than he already did. He had to pretend to like it though, for himself and Kai.
They got back into the golf cart and Marg whisked them back to the housing office to get the paper work started, two hours later and it was done. Their background checks being sent off to be looked over as well as their employment history, they left with the promise of hearing back from her in a week's time.
The bad blood that had been between them was now gone, they were one step closer to having a place of their own as long as everything came back fine. They had put down some money to hold the place, it would have to go into Kai's name since Ray wouldn't be turning nineteen until October but they could add him to the lease later.
"We still need to go shopping for mom…" Kai grumbled as he glanced at the clock on the radio as he took the passenger seat again, it was already almost two and they had another two to three hour drive back home.
"We'll just pick up some takeout or something, she'll understand and we can go tomorrow for her." Ray said, dreading the idea of having to go shopping on top of everything else.
Kai nodded, that didn't sound like a bad idea and called up Natasha to let her know. She gave them the go-ahead, as long as they all had something to eat for dinner she didn't care.
They grabbed some pizza to take home once they got back into town, their hunger overpowering everything and they passed out on the couch beside each other once they had their fill. Natasha and Micah left them there, putting a blanket around them for the night and retired themselves to their own room.
A week came and went, the house seeing a more relaxed version of the two now that they seemed to be heading in the right direction. They got the call back from Marg and drove the three hours back up to their new apartment to fill out the rest of the paper work, getting their keys and had everything moved in the following week with one week left before classes started.
Wednesday, August 19th.
Ray stepped into his new home, his back hurting from the long day at work. Why they insisted on training him all over again was beyond him, he had been working in the company for almost two years now and knew what to do but they wanted to 'refresh' his memory which was just a waste of everyone's time.
He cared, immensely, but couldn't put up much of a fight about it. With the move, work, and preparing for school the apartment wasn't fully unpacked yet. Boxes were left in the corner behind the bar stools directly across from the door, there were more stacked up in the living room and some under the stairs. Between the two of them they never realized how much junk they had, having lived in separate rooms the past year and a half with each other and it was overwhelming them both.
Kai was sat on the white leather arm chair they had gotten a few days ago, along with two matching couches that they pushed up against both windows on the other side of the first floor. Before, they had been reduced to sitting on the hardwood floor for everything. A bed big enough for the two of them was their first purchase, and Ray paid the extra to have it delivered and set up so that way they didn't have to fight to get it brought up into the place.
"You alright?" Kai asked, looking up from his book as Ray came dragging his feet into the apartment.
"Just tired." Ray huffed before he threw himself down on the couch to Kai's right, the one that faced the TV head on across from the window that looked out the side of the apartment.
Kai sat his book down, pulling his glasses off and placing them both on the side table that sat between his chair and the couch.
"Did you get anything for dinner?"
"No…" Ray's voice came out muffled as he laid face first in the white leather of the couch, "I thought we had left overs?"
"We do… But we've had left overs for the past week." Kai answered.
Ray pushed himself up before turning over on his back, "I'm not hungry right now anyways."
Kai frowned, since they moved Ray had stopped eating what he normally would when they still lived with his parents. He could see Ray was losing weight, knew he was still smoking and using those as his meal replacements now.
Kai got up, kneeling on the side of the couch beside him. Running his fingertips through the hair that was sticking out from the blue hair wrap that Ray wore, getting slightly lost in it before he shook himself out of it.
"Let me take you out, before school starts up. It's not good for you to keep going like this."
Ray turned his head towards him, "I don't wanna go out." He pouted.
"Babe, we haven't been out of the house since we moved in. The only time you go out is for work, it's not healthy." Kai said as he moved his hand up through Ray's hair, brushing his bangs from his face.
Ray's cheeks puffed out more in his pout, "My feet are killing me, I really don't feel like going out."
"I'll drive, you sit and relax. Only time you'll be up is getting to the truck and then to the table." Kai tried again, he really just wanted to get out of the house himself.
"Where did you wanna go?" Ray asked.
Kai shrugged, "We'll figure it out."
Ray rolled his eyes, pushing himself up and swung his legs off the side of the couch. "Gonna take a shower first."
Kai nodded and moved aside for him, just happy to see that he wasn't going to put up that much of a fight with him about it. Ray carried himself up the stairs still sluggishly, getting to the top and looked back down at Kai sitting back down in his chair.
"You weren't gonna come with me?"
Kai snapped his book shut, he didn't need telling twice, and bounded up the stairs to join him.
An hour later they finally emerged ready to go, Kai doing what he had said and drove them somewhere random and new. It wasn't that far from where they lived or campus, even with it being a Wednesday night it was still slightly packed. Waiting another hour for a table they were finally sat down, Ray looked ready to pass out the second he settled down in the booth.
It was quiet between the two of them, a few other college aged kids coming and going around them that they didn't bother looking at. Max and Tyson had called them Friday to let them know they were finally settled into their own places, Max in the dorms at the college and Tyson in the frat house with Michael, Rick, Kane, and Steve. They were all going to the same college, which for Ray was exciting.
"Kai?!" A higher pitched tone caught their attention, the two of them turned to meet a boy their age with big brown eyes and shaggy looking brown hair standing there at the end of their table.
"Kai? Kai Hiwatari?" The boy asked, looking like he had just stumbled upon a puppy lost on the streets. The other four boys he had walked in with kept going to their own table without him.
Kai gave the new boy a quick look over, feeling like he knew him and the memory hit him hard.
"Wyatt?!" Kai asked in that same type of excitement Wyatt had used.
"Oh wow, it is you! I knew I recognized that hair." Wyatt beamed at him before clocking Ray staring at him almost bored.
"Hi there, I'm Wyatt Smithwright." He held his hand out, Ray just stared at it.
He really didn't care who the kid was, he had never seen him before. What was more important was how Kai knew him, and that was what he was waiting to find out.
Wyatt pulled his hand back though the smile he wore didn't wash away, even at the rude gesture, turning back to Kai as his eyes shone brightly.
"I haven't seen you in years, how have you been?" He asked, a hint of knowing in his tone.
Kai moved over for him to sit down beside him, Ray narrowing his eyes at the gesture. That was unexpected. Even after what they had endured the past two years or so Kai was still closed off, the only ones ever to get that close to Kai was their family and himself.
"I'm good, a lot better than the last time we saw each other." Kai answered, feeling butterflies in his stomach at the unexpected reunion.
"That's such a relief to hear, you know I never stopped thinking about you." Wyatt said, touching his own heart to show how sincere his words were.
Ray arched a brow, trying to come up with an explanation for who this kid was that had just interrupted their date. Obviously they knew each other, but how?!
Kai chuckled a little, "If it wasn't for your family I don't know if I'd be sitting here right now."
"I'm happy to hear that Kai, I saw in the news a year ago what happened." Wyatt said in a lower whisper, not wanting to draw a crowd with the sensitive topic.
Kai nodded, "Yeah, I figured it would blow up. I didn't want it to but it was a big case."
Finally it clicked in Ray's head who the kid was. He was Kai's first friend, the one whose parents had called the cops after overhearing his tale on the baby monitor when he was seven. Ray shifted in his seat, feeling a bit guilty for being slightly rude to him earlier. He could play it off that he hadn't had a good day at work, Kai already knew he was exhausted so it was doable at best but the other two had barely glanced his way again.
"What're you doing all the way up here?" Wyatt asked, wanting to change the heavy conversation.
"College." Kai answered and then nodded at Ray.
"Oh wow, what a coincidence." Wyatt said in that same high pitch excited tone, not even sparing Ray another glance. "What classes are you taking?"
Kai gave him the brief rundown, all more harder courses than what Ray was taking and looking at getting a major in psychology with a minor in social work.
"Are you kidding?" Wyatt asked, his big eyes only getting bigger. "We'll being seeing each other almost all the time now, wow."
Ray's stomach twisted at that, he didn't like that idea at all but there wasn't anything he could do to change it. The kid seemed nice but something about him seemed off, he didn't like him for some reason and he didn't know why. He had never thought himself to be the jealous type, Kai never gave him a reason to be, maybe he really was tired and just not in a good mood.
Kai seemed to light up at that though, "Small world then." He smirked.
"Well I'll let you two go, see you in class." Wyatt said, giving Ray one last look out of good faith before he slipped out of the booth and went off to find his group he had come in with.
Kai watched him go, giving him a slight wave as Wyatt waved back. When he was out of earshot Kai turned a heated gaze at Ray who visibly sank down in his chair, not liking that look in his eyes.
"Want to tell me what that was?"
"What?" Ray decided to play dumb, running his finger over the rim of his glass of water.
"Don't do that, you know what." Kai bit back at him quietly, not wanting to have a blow up right there in public with him.
"You completely ignored him, I've never seen you so rude before." He added, seeing Ray sink down further into his seat like a child being scolded.
Ray shrugged his shoulders at him, "I wasn't trying to be rude, I don't know him."
Kai scoffed, "He was trying to introduce himself and you gave him the cold shoulder."
Ray shrugged his shoulders again, "Sorry…" He mumbled, sitting himself back up in the seat as the food was brought out to them.
Kai rolled his eyes, whatever had crawled up his ass and died wasn't his problem right now. He wasn't going to let it go though, waiting until they got home to deal with it when they got the chance.
The chance never came, filled up on food and tired from the long day Ray had passed out on the drive home. Kai barely getting him up the two flights of stairs and into their bed with him hardly coherent, getting Ray's shoes off of him once he got him settled down on their bed and covered him up.
The second Kai was laid down on the bed beside him Ray moved closer, putting his right arm over Kai's stomach, under his shirt, and his head on his shoulder. His legs twining within his under the sheets as Kai's left arm came around his back and held him there, sleep taking over the two of them quickly.
I know just recently we got the boys actual birthdays not too long ago but I didn't want to change anything here because of the first fic. So Kai's birthday is August 2nd and Ray's is October 16th for the purpose of this fic.
Will see ya'll on the 15th with chapter 2!