Two months later and the visit to Morrisville was almost faded from Ray's mind. Well, the less impressionable bits were, anyway. He still sometimes flashed back to the recollection of how his old rival, Alan Favish, had tried getting him into bed by plying him with drinks. It'd come to light that he'd held a candle for Stantz ever since their high-school days, but his jealousy over both Ray's fame and his own bitterness that he didn't think himself good enough to get the Ghostbuster's attention had led to him resorting to dirty tricks to try and win.
But in a surprise turn of events, Peter Venkman had swooped in to save his friend from Favish's clutches, insisting on walking him back to the hotel room they shared. Things had sparked between them and he'd thrown caution to the wind and kissed Ray, revealing the fact he was actually bisexual to the blushing Raymond.
The next night, after once again encountering a drunken and vengeful Favish, the kind-hearted Ray had been left in a state of depression by his rival's words.
Refusing to see his friend even thinking about accepting what that slimy salesman had taunted him over, Peter had told Ray, quite firmly, to disregard Favish's hurtful words, for they had no place. Then he'd kissed him to take his mind off it, and one small kiss soon become another…
They'd gotten intimate enough, bodies pressed achingly close to one another, that Peter had chanced asking if he might bed the other Ghostbuster? Ray had blushed adorably but said yes, trusting Peter to take care of him.
As he'd fussed over and undressed his close friend, it became clear that Ray was still harbouring a little bit of a complex about his weight, as he shyly avoided Peter's gaze.
Wanting desperately to prove to Ray just what an effect he'd had, Venkman had lavished attention on him, his hands and lips roaming his friend's body, lovingly marking him and trying to impart his longing for Raymond through each gesture. And it'd worked, as evidenced by the way Ray called his name and how he'd clung tightly to Peter as he made love to him.
Peter let out a moony sigh, chin resting on his hands as he sat in the diner. He'd seen a sign outside for a shoe company, being touted about by some poor college kid no doubt desperate for money and this had reminded him of the Morrisville incident.
He and Ray had been secretly "dating" for nearly three months now. So far Egon, Winston Janine and Slimer had suspected nothing as far as the duo could tell, and they'd been CIA levels of paranoid about hiding their tracks, although there had been a few close calls.
A grin tugged at Peter's lips as he reclined in the booth, resting a hand on a bag sat next to him. He had a few minutes before he was due to meet Ray here, plenty of time to ruminate…
Their first day back after returning home from Morrisville had been quiet.
They'd spent the previous evening telling the others about the carnival. Ray purposefully left out the bits about getting plastered and the whole thing with Favish. Only Peter seen the slight worry in Ray's eyes, the brief lapse in his excited retelling. But it was soon gone and Ray was back to his usual self as he finished the tale.
Egon, Winston, and Janine were all thrilled with the souvenirs Ray had brought them of books, snacks and jewellery respectively. For his ghost pal Slimer, Ray had brought a massive batch of candy, which made the ghost clap in glee and enthusiastically hug Ray, burbling loudly.
"Heh, you're welcome slimer." Ray grinned warmly, seeing the ghost's joy.
"Great, Slimer on sugar, just what I need!" Peter groaned.
"Peter," Ray said habitually "be nice."
Peter's response was to blow a raspberry at his friend, making Ray shake his head and chuckle.
"Good work in catching that ghost, you two." Egon remarked as he shifted his attention from the books Ray had gotten him, to the trap sat next to Ray's elbow atop the table. He picked up the trap to go empty it into the containment unit while Ray and Peter both looked pleased at the praise.
When Egon returned, they had remembered their promise to mention the self-destruct incident to Spengler. Egon's eyebrows rose stiffly as the tale unfurled and he requested Peter let him have his proton pack for analysis. Peter gladly handed it over, this was Egon's department, after all.
That night, as Ray got into bed, he happened to glance over at Peter. The other ghostbuster flashed him a grin, then got into bed. Winston and Egon were too busy settling themselves under the covers to see the brief communique between the lovers.
Ray felt his cheeks redden as he scrambled into bed and pulled the covers up to his chest, the familiar presence of his StayPuft doll held in his arms. He wished it could be Peter he was holding though, for he found himself missing the warmth of his body and the smell of his skin.
He dozed off eventually, dreaming about the weekend in Morrisville. The good bits, anyway.
A couple of days passed, during which the pair were kept pretty busy with their job and only had time for the briefest contact, such as their hands brushing when Ray passed Peter the newspaper at breakfast, or leaning over one another's shoulders to read an article or discuss something on the TV and so on.
Such went one particular incident, where Peter tripped whilst trying to catch a possessed blender and landed on his face, HARD.
Ray blasted the thing, punting it across the room where Winston and Egon herded the ghost into a corner and trapped it. While they were doing that, Ray knelt quickly beside Peter, helping him sit.
"Oh, oh dear.." he grimaced, seeing the force of the impact had caused a heavy fountain of blood from Peter's nose. The poor man was coughing and gagging on it, making an uneasy moaning sound.
"Thish isb dishgushting, Way..." Peter groaned, attempting to stem the flow with his hands, but the blood just dripped between his fingers and onto his uniform. Ray pulled a neatly starched handkerchief form his pocket, gently pulling Peter's hands away.
"Let me." he soothed and Peter sat as still as he could, yelping and fidgeting when Ray pressed the linen over his nose and applied pressure to try stem the flow of crimson.
"Owwie." Peter wailed, eyes smarting from the pain. His wide, pain-filled eyes met Ray's, who offered a comforting smile.
"You guys alright- ooh, that looks bad." Winston came over to survey the damage, Egon in tow.
"We should go to a hospital-" Egon cut off as the trap sparked agitatedly in his hands "although I fear that this thing may not hold. This spirit is surprisingly rowdy for its small stature."
Ray looked worriedly from Peter to the trap, and then he had an idea.
"I'll take Peter to the hospital by myself, it's not that far from here. That way, you guys can take Ecto-1, leg it back to HQ and seal that sucker away before we have to re-catch it!"
"Roger that, Ray." Winston nodded to the bloodied Venkman "take it easy, Peter."
A muffled grunt and a nod from Peter and he watched as the other two retreated to Ecto-1, while Ray helped him stand.
He seemed a bit dizzy and Ray was concerned he may be concussed into the bargain. Seeing fresh blood starting to splish into the floor, Ray guided Peter's hand, which was still doggedly clutching the handkerchief, back to cover his nose and mouth.
"Keep that over your nose, put pressure on it- there, that's it." he said softly "Can you walk?"
Peter groaned in reply and let Ray guide him over towards the door. The owner of the building, returning from putting his chequebook away, took one look at Venkman and offered to give them a lift.
Peter burbled a dazed thank you as Ray buckled him in, he seemed to be getting worse, barely focusing at all. Ray and the driver shared worried look as their eyes met across the top of the car.
"We'd better hurry." The owner said, Ray nodding silently as he got into the passenger seat.
The owner drove like crazy, arriving at the A&E entrance minutes later. Ray thanked the man for his support, then helped Peter stagger inside, one arm braced across his shoulders. It was reminiscent of how Peter had walked him back to the hotel after Ray had gotten drunk. That was when they'd wound up kissing, when they'd discovered you could be more than friends…
There was an instant clamour of curiosity in the busy room as Ray entered with Peter hanging onto him. Their uniforms were like beacons in a pro-celebrity culture, add in the iconic proton pack and they stuck out a mile.
"Look, it's them!"
"Goodness me..."
"Whoa man, it's two of the Ghostbusters!" one teenager nudged his friend, who took off his headphones and twisted in his seat to stare, even as people began to swarm the duo. Ray set his jaw, staring back at the crowd. He was on the verge of opening his mouth to request they back off and let him find somewhere to seat his injured partner, when Peter spoke up.
"Rayh?" he mumbled dizzily.
"What is it, Peter?" Ray tore his gaze away from when it'd been heatedly glaring at a camera emerging from someone's bag. He looked at his friend, seeing with growing horror that he'd gone white as a sheet.
"Whys the room shpinning?" Peter didn't seem to even see the man who was all that stood between him and the floor, yet his grip on Ray's sleeve was like a vice.
"Peter-?" Ray studied his face, recalling the medical books he'd studied in college.
"I dun feel sho good..." was all Peter managed to say before collapsing abruptly, his grip going limp. Ray let out a frantic cry that pierced the babble of the crowd and stunted their hive-like curiosity.
"PETER!" he cried, catching him and lowering him to the linoleum floor before he injured himself further. He quickly unstrapped the proton pack, shoving it aside and lying his unconscious friend on his side in case he'd swallowed any blood. A quick check revealed his pulse was alright, he'd just fainted, likely from pain or shock.
"Hey, bring him here sonny." Ray felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder and looked up, just about keeping the true extent of his panic in check as he did. A middle-aged gentlemen was gesturing over to the couch that he and his family had been sitting on, explaining it was only he that'd been injured and he'd be fine standing-
"-but your buddy there needs somewhere to lie down. What happened?"
"A very angry ghost." Ray said shakily as he picked Peter up in his arms, surprised by how light he was. "Could you grab the proton pack, sir?"
"Sure thing- oof, this is a hefty bit of kit, lad."
"We barely notice it any more." Ray smiled faintly as he carefully laid Peter on his side across the padded seats. Peter groaned in his sleep, curling up like Ray had often seen him do on the couch at HQ.
"Why did he collapse?" One teen asked in the lowered murmuring of the nosy crowds.
Ray shook his head "beats me, that thing hit him with a fair bit of force and it was a concrete floor to boot-" As he spoke, Peter shifted in his sleep again, causing his floppy brown fringe to fall to one side. Ray carefully brushed Peter's fringe the rest of the way aside with one hand, stomach sinking as he seen a sizeable bruise developing now. In all the chaos and worry over the bleeding, this had gone unnoticed.
"Ooh, that doesn't look pleasant." the donator of the couch was standing by Ray's shoulder "there may be more to this then it seems."
"You're right, it needs a compress- wait!" Ray nodded, looking around him for- there! He bolted over to the vending machine, hastily shoved a coin in and got an icy cold can of cola. Storing it under one arm, he pulled a utility pen knife from his belt, turned one sleeve up and cut a strip of material from the lining. Wrapping this around the can, he made a makeshift compress out of the items and it seemed to ease Peter's pain a little…
"Mr Murphy?" the doctor walked out into the A&E, doing a double-take at the way people were all clustering around one bench. He pushed through, calling his patient's name loudly "we're ready for you now-?"
He consulted his notes as the man's wife waved him over "nurse Redheart has you down as suffering a broken wrist-"
"Yes, I had a bit of a fall getting off a ladder. But I think you'd best tend to this young gentleman first, it's urgent." Mr Murphy indicated the celebrities in their midst and the doctor did a second double take- he'd know that uniform anywhere!
"The Ghostbusters?" he asked, surprised, but that vanished as professionalism took over. One of them was badly hurt, he could see blood.
"I can wait," Murphy insisted as he and the doc approached Ray and Peter now "but I think this fella has hit his head. The red-headed lad said the ghost didn't take kindly to being caught!"
"Sounds serious, if he's collapsing suddenly." the doc sighed "As long as you're certain, sir. This is highly unorthodox-"
"I know damage to the head is potentially more serious than my wrist. The painkillers will keep me going." Mr Murphy insisted as they approached the seats.
"Mind if I take a look?" The doctor asked Ray, who snapped out of his first-aid-mode and stared gormlessly up at him for a moment. Then he bolted to his feet, nodding and stepping back as the doctor gave Peter a quick checkover, noting the blood from the impact to his face as well as the bang to the head.
"Good job on making him comfortable," the doctor said upon seeing the evidence of Ray's attempts to help "was he complaining of dizziness before he collapsed?"
He looked back over his shoulder at Ray, who nodded.
"Yes, he asked me why the room was spinning, then he just blacked out." Ray explained.
"Sounds like shock and a heavy concussion, we may need to keep him in overnight for observation." the doctor decided. He stood up, looking at a nurse who hovered just inside the open door to the ward, motioning for her to bring a gurney as he flipped to a new form on his clipboard.
"What's the patient's full name?"
"It's Peter Venkman."
"And yours, is it on the insurance? I know you fellas work together."
"Yes, and it's Ray- Raymond Stantz." Ray said, relief making him feel light-headed. Peter was going to get the help he needed, all thanks to the kindness of a stranger.
"I- are you sure you don't mind us doing this?" Ray asked mr Murphy as he helped set Peter on the gurney and the doctor secured him to it. The man smiled and patted Ray's shoulder reassuringly with his good hand.
"Sure as sugar, sonny. I've watched you boys on the TV, you do fine work for the city and I reckon it can't be easy OR painless. The painkillers the nurse gave me will keep me going, but your friend is gonna be feeling pretty rough when he wakes and I'm sure he'd appreciate a bed to rest on."
Ray smiled despite the worry and dug in his pocket for one of the Ghostbusters' business cards. He wrote his name on the back and handed this to Mr Murphy, promising to help if they ever needed it, cost-free. Then he darted after the trolley bearing his best friend, pausing only to grab the second proton pack where it had been propped up by the edge of the seating.
Peter woke later with a pounding headache. Where was he? He lifted his head and instantly regretted doing so, it felt like a herd of bulldozers had been let loose in his head.
-Bull-GOZERS..- he thought, failing to stifle a giggle at the thought. A muffled snore interrupted his mindless giggling and he cautiously turned his head to the side.
Curled up in an armchair beside the bed was Ray. He had his arms wrapped around his midsection, knees tucked up up to his chest as close as he could on the narrow armchair, both proton packs sat at his feet. A faint frown creased his forehead as he slept, he seemed tired and anxious.
"Ray?" Peter asked, yelping when Stantz jolted to life in a flailing of limbs. He knocked the proton packs over in his daze, the loud clattering scaring him so badly he fell right out of the chair in a disorientated heap.
"Oww- oh, goodness, wha?" Ray sat himself up, then spotted Peter was awake. His wits recovered themselves and he got to his feet in a flash as he set eyes on his best friend. "Peter!"
The relief in his eyes was so adorable it made Peter smile, even as the movement strained the bruised skin on his face.
"How do you feel?" Ray asked, perching himself on the bed's edge, being careful not to jostle Peter.
"Like crap." Peter sighed "what happened, Ray? All I recall is walking into the hospital, than nothing."
"Well we're still there, it's 8pm." Ray said softly.
"What?!" Peter yelped, groaning as his face ached.
"You've been asleep for awhile, the doctor dosed you good and proper so he could fix the damage."
"How bad is it?" Peter wailed, moving his hands to his face and feeling a thick bandage taped over his nose. He groaned, stomach sinking, this couldn't be flattering...
"It's not that bad, there's some considerable swelling, but mostly just blood. The angle you hit at burst a good few blood vessels, so uh, try not to sneeze." Ray grimaced at the idea.
"I'll trust your judgement then, in that I'm not totally hideous now." Peter sighed heavily. Ray shook his head and chuckled, leaning in to kiss Peter on the forehead.
"Even covered in bandages, you look good." he assured Venkman "I'm just relieved your injuries aren't too bad. When you fainted dead away like that, it gave me a fright."
Peter seen just how worried Ray looked now, seen the bags under his eyes "Ray, have you been here all day?"
Ray nodded "I couldn't leave you on your own, I wanted to make sure you were alright. I called Egon from the payphone and he said it was fine, to get you checked over throughly and call him if the insurance kicks up any problems."
"Good old Spengles." Peter giggled again, at the funny name he'd given his co-worker. Ray shook his head, clearly the drugs were still in Peter's system.
"Lie back and relax." he said soothingly, lightly nudging Venkman so he was lying back against the pillows once more.
"Hehe, thats what HE said!" Peter blurted, more giggling erupting as Ray face-palmed.
"Go to sleep, Peter." he said firmly, tucking the blankets around him. Eventually, the giggles slowed and Peter did drop off. Ray sighed in relief, carefully dismounting from the bed and going to the phone to ring Egon.
"How is he?" Egon asked, no preamble about hello's and how-you-do's with him.
"He's alright, a bit out of it thanks to the meds, but the doc says he'll be well enough to come home tomorrow." Ray said, slumping against the wall beside the payphone.
"Thats good news, Ray." Egon said and a faint scratching noise told Ray the doctor was writing all this down "are you staying at the hospital?"
"Yeah," Ray said, feeling himself flush, even though Egon couldn't possibly see him through the telephone "I fell asleep waiting to see how Peter was, only woke up a little while ago. I'm pretty tired, so I'll probably just pass out on a couch someplace."
"Try not to mess up your back." Egon advised, but asked no further questions before hanging up. Ray sighed, somewhat glad that Egon's clinical nature meant his suspicions hadn't been raised by Rays choice of staying with Peter. He likely assumed it was just to ensure Peter recovered as quickly as he could.
Peter drifted awake late that night, at an hour when the lights were dimmed and only the occasional nurse roamed the halls. In the gloom, only lightened by the low-level lights outside, he seen a familiar shape curled up in the armchair.
-Ray, why are you still here?- he puzzled, wincing as he sat up. He made to get out of the bed, but his legs turned to jelly and he slithered to the chilly floor with a muffled thump. He shuffled across the short gap between bed and chair and sat himself beside Ray, reaching up to stroke his cheek.
"Mmhh..." Ray moaned softly in his sleep, then his eyes fluttered open.
"W-what?" he asked, then jolted awake as he recognised Peter's face in the darkness.
"Peter!" he blurted quietly "you're supposed to be resting!"
"Can't." Peter grumped, resting his head on Ray's lap and sighing at the warmth of his skin through the Ghostbusters uniform.
"Well you need to be." Ray said firmly, stroking Peter's hair gently for a moment, then gently guiding Venkman to his feet. He got him back on the bed and was about to disentangle himself when Peter moved with surprising speed and pressed his lips to Ray's, the movement somewhat clumsy due to the bandages.
"Peter!" Ray scolded, blushing bright enough for it to be visible even in the dimness of the room. Peter drew back, smiling sleepily.
"Stay?" he asked, running a hand through Ray's hair. Ray's heart ached, could he risk dozing atop the bed? Already, Peter was gripping his collar, looking so hopefully at him.
At last, Ray nodded, even smiling softly. He gently levered himself onto the bed, lying on his back and letting Peter doze against his chest. He stroked Venkman's hair, listening until the sounds of his breathing slipped into the deeper stages of sleep. He knew he was supposed to move, but he was just...so...comfortable-
-His eyes snapped open and he felt panic claw at his chest – it was daytime! There was the distant sounds of footsteps advancing down the hall. A quick glance at the clock told him it was time for the morning rounds and he squeaked in panic as he tried to think what to do.
Fortunately for the occasion, Peter had done enough tossing and turning that Ray was able to ease himself free and slip off the bed without disturbing its rightful occupant.
Spying some glasses by the sink, he had an idea- He snuck silently across the room, AGAIN forgetting those darn Proton packs sitting so innocently in front of the armchair-
The loud crash and thud brought the doctor and nurse running at double speed, thinking that it was the patient causing himself more injury.
They shot into the room, looking at the odd sight before them. Ray was laid out on the floor, one foot tangled in the strap of his pack. The red-head pried his face from the floor and grinned sheepishly at them while on the bed, the patient was awake and regarding the scene with a sleepy amusement.
"Sorry! I was getting up to get a drink of water and I tripped." Ray bleated.
"Whaddya ya doing, Ray?" Peter asked dozily.
"Being a klutz." Ray said, face turning red as he got up and dusted himself down.
"Try not to require treatment yourself if you can, mr Stantz." The doctor gave him a funny look as he spoke, clearly thinking these Ghostbusters were all total ditzes. Next, his attention turned to Peter as he began checking him over.
"Well, you're looking much better, mr Venkman, the swelling has gone down significantly. Give it a week and you'll be fine. Keep the bandages on for another day or so, I'll give you some follow-up splint bandages to take home that aren't as obtrusive."
Behind the doctor, Ray had caught Peter's eye and smiled reassuringly, making Peter feel a little less down about having to put up with the bandages.
It took a few days before the swelling went away altogether, a few days in which Peter slunk about during the busts, trying miserably to hide from any cameras. His friends had been supportive as ever, assuring him it wasn't that bad, but he'd heard the odd snicker from the crowds when he was working and it made his stomach flop.
One day, as he made a show of putting the gear back in Ecto-1 while Egon distracted the press, Ray appeared by his side to give him a hand. He gave Peter a smile that to the untrained eye was just one friend to another. But Peter seen Ray's kindly, reassuring smile, read the attentive subtlety in it and felt a little better.
That night, as he bumped into Ray on his way to the bathroom, Ray let his fingers brush Peter's arm. In a way, it was how they maintained their bond, they couldn't just kiss and snuggle whenever they wanted, so they got their fix of one another in these innocent gestures...
"More coffee, sir?" Peter jolted out of his memory as the pretty waitress approached his table.
"Sure thing, beautiful." he flirted, making her blush as she refilled his cup and sashayed away.
Peter took a sip of coffee, remembering an awkward incident involving Ray being rather adorably sulky.
It'd started at a seemingly run of the mill bust.
A young lady had been almost knocked down the stairs as she'd been running away, only to land squarely in Peter Venkman's arms. To her, she seen a handsome man with stunning eyes and stylish brown hair looking at her in surprise.
"Hold on tight!" The man said, pulling her against him as they ducked aside. She seen three other fellas in similar styled jumpsuits step in front of them now, blasting the chasing ghost with blinding energy beams as she buried her face in her saviour's chest. There was a clatter, a final scream from the ghost and the sound of something snapping closed. She chanced looking round, seeing the red-headed man holding up a smoking box, looking relieved as he pushed a pair of goggles up off his face.
"Is it gone?" she asked.
"It wont be chasing you ever again, beautiful." Peter flirted, making her flush and eye him appreciatively. Caught up in his habitual flirting, Peter didn't see the way Ray's expression wavered from its triumphant stay, only for a split second, but it was there. Egon and Winston were too busy exchanging well-used 'Peter's at it again' looks to see Ray's discomfort.
-Move, you idiot!- Ray scolded himself as he forced himself to tear his eyes away from the sight of the attractive woman stroking a finger along Peter's collar, cherry-red lipstick plastered on lips that curved into a smile. He gripped the trap tightly and made himself stride calmly forward.
"Will I see you again?" the woman asked Peter, hoping she would- he was a piece of eye candy, that was for sure!
"Peter." Ray said coolly as he walked by "I DO hate to interrupt your courting, but we need to get this thing back to the station."
He sounded vaguely amused and unfazed to Egon and co, but Peter heard the underlay of ice in Ray's tone. He realised his mistake and felt a sense of shame start to pool in his stomach, that had to have looked callous. He hastily said goodbye to the girl, who slipped him her number and watched him go with a wistful sigh.
The ride back, Peter tried to engage Ray in conversation, just to talk. But Ray only made basic grunting noises as he pretended to be absorbed in filling out the paperwork.
Peter flopped back in his seat with a yawn, but inside he was panicking at getting the silent treatment from Ray. It was rare as moon-rocks that Ray got so mad he wouldn't entertain even talking! Peter hadn't even thought about what he was doing, he was so used to just being a total flirt, that's what the others expected from him at a base level. Except Ray.
He chanced glancing at Ray again but the man still didn't look up, even though he had to have felt Peter's gaze on him. So Peter studied Ray's gentle features instead, the way his brow was furrowed slightly, lips moving silently as he read over what he'd written, the gentle curve of his profile.
He broke his gaze and stared at the floor of Ecto-1, hearing Winston talking away to Egon in the front seat.
Too lazy to cook, they unanimously settled on take out for dinner. Winston said he wanted to try the new place just a few blocks away, the others all agreed and he and Egon volunteered to go get it.
"We'll likely be about 20 minutes at minimum, based off my analysis of previous orders from other establishments." Egon said as he and Winston headed for the door. Winston rolled his eyes and all but shoved Egon out the door. It clicked shut behind them, leaving Ray and Peter alone in near deafening silence.
Ray instantly excused himself, saying he wanted to go have a shower. Before Peter could think up a suitable thing to say, the sweet-natured ghostbuster was gone, his footsteps echoing up the stairs.
-Crap. I've really done it now.- Peter groaned softly, running a hand through his hair. He paced back and forth, unease and guilt growing and growing until it became unbearable and he shot upstairs like a dog with a butt full of TNT.
"Ray!" He pelted into the bathroom, the door bouncing off the wall from the force of it "please-please-please, just hear me out-!"
That was when he realised two things. Firstly, Ray was standing just out of the shower, a towel around his waist. The second, a direct consequence of the first; damn he looked good. Peter felt his face redden as his eyes raked over a body he'd traced top to toe back in Morrisville.
"Peter!" Ray yelped, as he finally recovered his voice from Peter's less-than-subtle entrance "what do you think you're doing?!"
"Hoping the nicest guy in the world can forgive me for being a total bum?" Peter sighed ashamedly, ducking his head and seeing the water pooling around Ray's feet. He swallowed nervously, from a mix of both embarrassment and desire.
Ray stared at him as he endeavoured to get his heart under control, for it felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. He could also feel his face burning, what was Peter up to?!
"Peter-" he began, then stopped. Was he right to be mad? Or was he just acting jealous?
-He did tell me he's Bi, maybe he sees dating as not so...exclusive? He didn't mention it back in Morrisville, but it depends how he sees himself.-
He strode past Peter, blurting out something about it being "fine". Peter frowned, unsatisfied with this response as he watched Ray walk off towards the bedroom. He thought it over for 0.5 seconds, then fidgeted on the spot a moment before zooming after him again.
"Rayyy!"
"Sweet merciful crap- PETER!" Ray yelped, pulling the towel back around himself again just in the nick of time as Peter charged through the doors to the communal bedroom. He'd been in the process of removing said towel to dress himself, when Peter had come pelting in like a hyperactive child and now clutched it closed with an iron grip.
"What do you want?!" he yelled now, feeling frustrated and confused. Peter stopped short, that guilty look on his face again.
"I wanted to tell you something, if you can hear me out." he said softly. Ray paused, gripping the towel tightly as Peter closed his eyes and began.
"I know you're angry Ray, I acted like a total heel earlier and-"
"Peter!" Ray barked, making Peter's eyes fly open.
"Yes?" Peter squeaked.
"Why are you talking with your eyes closed?" Ray looked at him like he was crazy and Peter realised it made him look a bit shifty and insincere, that he wouldn't look him in the eye. He swallowed again, clearing his throat and coughing. as Ray continued to stare, then he finally gestured to the half-naked Ghostbuster.
"You're one step away from naked, Ray and as you recall my saying in the shower at Morrisville, the following: DAYUM."
Ray went even redder, but his heart was fluttering again. This was what he liked about Peter, that blunt honesty.
"Well, if it'll make you pay attention, I'll jolly well stand here until either I catch cold or you start talking sense!" Ray huffed and Peter blushed, staring at Ray a few more seconds, then blurted;
"I didn't mean to hurt you Ray, I didn't even like her-"
"Stop talking about it, Peter!" Ray sighed, again dismissing it with a wave of his hand "you told me you like both, why wouldn't you-"
"RAYMOND STANTZ!" This time it was Peter's turn to yell, startling Ray into silence. Peter looked panicked, a very genuine worry in his eyes that actually startled Ray a little.
"That's not true." Peter said in a much softer voice, shaking his head. He sighed, rubbing his forehead agitatedly as he tried to form the words "you gotta understand, this is new to me, I've never had someone I've cared about this much. A person that has the power to break my heart if they wanted to."
Ray stayed silent, had he really become that important?
"I never let anyone get that close to me, I always instigated it so I could keep some kind of control, but then I seen you close to crying that night in the parking lot. I wanted to comfort you then, Ray, wanted to make you understand why you were worth rescuing. That was when I realised I was willing to give up our friendship if it meant I got to get even closer, but I was petrified you'd push me away and hate me forever as a result."
Ray blinked, a look of surprise crossing his face as he regarded Peter. Did he mean that?
"I flirt as a way to stop the others from noticing anything is amiss, it's what they've come to expect from me after all these years. I'd been in that rut for so long before Morrisville, that I acted today without thinking. I never want to make you that mad at me again, Raymond. I can't promise I wont be annoying at times, or try climbing into your bed in my sleep, but I promise I won't do that again if I can help it."
"Peter." Ray blinked, feeling a sense of embarrassment of his own "Its not your fault. I've known you long enough, you've always been mr happy-go-goofy in public.."
"Even if I am- thanks, by the way- I don't want to see you upset. If I do that, I'm no better than that creep Favish, doing things that I know will hurt-"
"Stop right there." Ray stepped in now, taking a few steps closer to Peter "you're nothing like him. He couldn't have cared less at the time, but you-"
He placed a hand on Peter's cheek, making him look up from where he'd been scuffing a shoe morosely at the floor, his shoulders slumped.
"You could've very easily taken me up on my drunken offer that first night, but you didn't. You waited until I was sober- heck, you flat out asked if you could sleep with me, Peter! You call yourself a cad, yet you went all-bets-are-off to cheer me up. Don't ever say that about yourself again, clear?"
"But, aren't you mad?" Peter asked, heart hammering as he looked hopefully at Ray. He was gifted with a kind smile from Ray that made his heart skip a beat, was he forgiven?
"A little, but it's not fair of me to be. It's true I was-" he sighed, face reddening "I was jealous, Peter. I didn't want you flirting willy-nilly with everybody we met. You see-"
Peter looked at him in surprise, did Ray think-?
"-I was worried you wouldn't want or need me anymore, that there was somebody that amazing that'd put me to shame." Ray flushed, feeling like an idiot, but Peter deserved this much. "I'm sorry."
"Ray." Peter couldn't resist any longer and tackled his partner so that they landed with a thwump on Ray's bed, his clothed body pressed against Ray's almost-naked one.
"Peter?" Ray gasped, but the jolt that this sent down his spine soon took his breath away. Peter looked down at him with an intensity that made Ray's heart run laps around his ribcage.
"Ray, Ray, Ray." Peter repeated, shaking his head "You're already the most amazing thing in my life and don't you forget it. She had a pretty face but that was all, you've got looks AND heart. I don't know if I ever thanked you for the hospital incident, but I was so happy when you stayed by my side. It wasn't so humiliating, landing in hospital, with you there. Every goddamn time you smiled at me when I was sulking about my looks, I damn well wanted to kiss you on the spot."
Ray flushed, pleased he'd helped. Seeing Peter looking happier, that had been his objective. He said as such to Peter and Venkman's already intense expression was softened by a look of real affection and he nuzzled Ray's nose.
"I'm sorry, Ray.." he whispered as he kissed Ray's neck "I'll try not to do that again. But if I DO slip up, I hope you'll believe me when I say I'm sorry, that you can trust me. I know I don't exactly have a reputation for being reliable, even in the dating scene, but-"
"I believe you, Peter." Ray said huskily, making Peter flush with relief as they looked at one another again. "I know your heart's in the right place and I'm sorry I was so rash to get mad at you..."
"Thats OK, Raymond." Peter chuckled, smiling "you're forgiven, if you'll do the same for me?"
Ray nodded, a genuine smile curving his lips, which were soon snared by Venkman. Ray groaned, arching his back to press against Venkman's chest as he felt Peter's warm, firm hands slip under his back, tracing his spine.
"P-peter.." he gasped as he realised where this was headed "the others-!"
"They wont be back for awhile, it's only been ten minutes. That place is likely to be busy as heck, it's Saturday!"
"I know but- ohh..." Ray sighed dolefully, wanting a good ravishing but knowing they'd be rushing themselves to hit their peak, just to avoid exposure. Peter heard the tone of Ray's voice, he was having the same thought in his head too. He wanted his dear Raymond, for he looked so do-able that he licked his lips-
He got an idea and a seductive grin wound its way over his face.
"I know JUST how to thank you, my adorkable little Ray." he purred.
"H-how?" Ray stammered, blushing at the thrill Peter's voice promised.
Peter just smiled, then began to shift back, kissing Ray's chest, stomach, and navel as he settled himself atop the bed-
"Peter, what're you-?!" Ray realised what he was up to just as Peter's hands began unhooking his towel.
Peter grinned, looking at him through lowered eyelashes, a knowing smile on those lips.
"I'll be quick." he teased "for I do hate to see you so...frustrated, Ray."
Ray bit his lip at the double-meaning lying in the words, there was no denying he WAS getting pretty aroused by Peter's actions. Heart in his throat, he nodded wordlessly.
He bit his lip, gasping as Peter began, gripping the bedsheets tightly beneath him as that silver tongue of Peter's showed it could do more than just talk them out of trouble.
Peter's hands were gently gripping his hips, keeping Ray from moving as he tended to him. Excitement and mild awkwardness at being so new to this battled with one another, until the rising pleasure drowned them both out. He gasped Peter's name, trying to say he was-
Peter grinned inwardly, one more second and-
Peter sat back once Ray's "relief" was finished, licking his lips. Ray lay there with eyes half-closed, chest rising and falling rapidly. He looked so good laid out before him, that Peter wished he had time to make love to him properly, because good grief was he tempting.
Ray's eyes fluttered open in time to see Peter rub the corner of his mouth with his thumb, tongue licking lips that curved knowingly at the edges. All he could do was blush profusely, when had Peter learned THAT?
Down below, they heard the door open and Ray panicked. He was all sweaty…
"Quick, go shower, I'll stall 'em." Peter whispered as he hopped back off the bed, letting Ray race as quietly as he could into the bathroom.
Peter stopped in the kitchen to down a glass of water, then ambled downstairs with a magazine in hand, just in time to see Egon locking the door behind him.
"Apologies." Egon said, pushing his glasses up his nose "it was busier then I calculated."
"Eh, no matter. It's here now, let's eat!" Peter tossed the magazine aside, grinning at the bags in Winston's arms.
"Where's Ray?" Winston asked, holding the bags out of Peter's way.
"Huh?" Peter blinked, his food pilfering efforts foiled "shower, I think? I thought I heard the water running."
Sure enough, Ray came jogging downstairs a minute later, freshly washed and dressed. They settled down on the couch to eat and Peter found himself sandwiched between Egon and Ray. He felt a secret thrill at sitting with the object of his desires so close by.
"Pretty good good nachos, right?" Winston said, stuffing another in his mouth.
"I'll say," Peter plucked one from the plate, licking gobs of cheese and spicy sauce off his fingers. Glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, Ray was reminded of not an hour ago, when Peter had-
He stopped that thought before it got away from him, focusing on the movie instead and hoping he wasn't blushing.
Peter smiled, that'd been an interesting evening. Ray had quite enjoyed his little "present" that time, he was utterly adorable.
He looked down at the bag, looking at the gift contained within and smiling. He hoped Ray would enjoy this one just as much…for it related to a gift already given to his beloved Raymond.
It'd been only three days ago. Peter had been checking the contents of his bank account and grinning to himself as he waited for Ray to start making breakfast. Ray made THE nicest pancakes and after the late bust last night, had promised he'd make some in the morning.
"You're looking pretty pleased with yourself." Winston remarked as he walked past the couch on his way to the kitchen.
"Yeah, almost got enough to get a new sound system."
"Oh yeah, your last one got blown up, didn't it?" Winston thought back "by...what was she?"
"A banshee." Peter reminded him "had my brain messed up good and proper!"
"Yeah, we were wearing those ridiculous outfits." Winston shook his head as he changed tack and flopped down on the other end of the couch. Peter snickered as he thought back to that bust.
"Yeah, but seeing Egon dressed as a superstar WAS pretty funny, wasn't it?"
Winston gave him a look that said 'don't irritate Egon, please.'
Ray wandered into the room, sneezed and continued on to the kitchen.
"Bless you." Peter said as an afterthought. Ray sniffled and thanked him, yawning softly.
Peter leaned over the back of the couch, calling over to Ray, asking was he OK?
"Fine, Peter." Ray assured him "chocolate chip OK?"
"Hell yeah!" Peter grinned and Winston shook his head.
"You and Ray are way too fond of candy." he remarked. Peter just blew a fairly dignified raspberry as a retort, it was all he could manage that early.
"Good morning everyone." Egon strode in, immaculately dressed as always. As he walked by, Peter tried to snag the back of his shirt to make it stick out funny. Anything to make Egon look at least 1% more casual! But Egon did a funny little sideways step and scooted out of range fast enough that Peter overbalanced and toppled off the couch.
"Dammit Egon!" Peter fumed, face down on the carpet. Egon shook his head and sighed.
"You've been trying to do that for weeks, it's not my fault you dress by throwing yourself at your drawers and seeing what fits."
A muffled raspberry was his only answer. Egon rolled his eyes and sat himself at the kitchen table as Peter ambled in, carpet pattern on his forehead. This made Ray do a double take, but oddly enough he didn't question it.
Peter was concerned that Ray seemed a little listless as breakfast went on, but figured he'd stayed up late to finish that project he and Egon were working on.
But Ray's condition only got worse as they left for work, although in all the chaotic running about, none of them paid as much attention as they could have. Neither did Ray, he pushed himself as hard as he could to keep up, even as he grew lightheaded and felt a bit sick. He barely heard the crowds cheering as he and Winston held the traps up to show them off. The car ride back, he was faintly aware of Peter talking and telling some story but he was too frazzled to take it in.
He leaned against the wall as the others all flopped onto the couch in a degree of silly poses, even Egon. Somehow, he wound up with one gangly leg draped over the arm of the couch, the other folded under him. Peter flopped over the back of the couch like a stuffed animal. Only Winston managed a somewhat dignified pose, face-planting onto the remaining couch space, like a plank of wood. Egon angled his head back, seeing Winston close by and greeted him as if they hadn't just been in the car together.
Ray opened his mouth to ask if they were hungry when the feeling of nausea crept over him and his stomach ached. So instead of words, he only managed a pained groan. This made them all look over.
"Ray?" Winston asked, pushing himself to his feet and hauling Egon up as he did.
"What's wrong?" Egon approached, squinting intensely at Ray as if he could figure out what was wrong just by staring.
"I'm fine Egon, just a bit of a tummy ache." Ray coughed. He blinked fuzzily as Egon pressed a hand to his forehead, the doctor frowning as he withdrew it.
"High fever, very pale and flushed. Ray, you're not well."
"'m fine, Egon." Ray half-heartedly tried to bat the physicist's hand away, but this almost made him face-plant into Peter's chest as he approached. Venkman steadied the dopey Ray, saying something Ray couldn't hear because his stomach was churning too loudly.
"Either-" he hiccuped, backing up slowly "-my oesophagus just got shorter, or I'm about to throw up."
With that said, he took off at a speed that made Peter's eyebrows raise. The trio waited a minute or two until they heard the gagging noises trail off, the footsteps stagger across the landing and finally, the door to the bedroom slam shut. They shared glances and headed up there.
"Ray?" Peter poked his head around the door "You decent?"
A muted groan reached his ears and he seen Ray was curled up on his bed with his back to the doorway. Peter pushed open the door and strode over, he and the others walking round to get a close look at their friend.
"I-it's nothing," Ray said weakly, even as he coughed, wincing and burying his face in the pillow.
"Yeah, and the houseplant's outsmarting Egon. Give us a break Ray, you look like crap."
Ray managed a very weak laugh at this, but it soon trailed off into a wince.
"You're staying home today." Egon said, leaving no room for argument "One of us will need to-"
"No." Ray whimpered "you don't need to miss a job because of me. I'll be fine.."
Two hours and one call-out later;
"Why are you not at work, Egon?" Ray asked weakly as the doctor set a tray with more medicine on it, on the table beside Ray's bed.
"Because you run the risk of being so violently sick that you could choke. I couldn't allow that."
"T-thanks...for that image." Ray groaned weakly, burying his face in the pillow.
He dozed on and off the rest of that day, aware of the others coming and going as well as Egon's constant presence, checking on him and taking his temperature between doses of medicine.
Peter wished he could kiss Ray, even just on the forehead, but for one; he didn't want to get sick either and for two; Egon was always close by. That guy took his duties seriously, even if that task was babysitting a sick friend.
By the next day, Ray was a little better, but still very feverish. He convinced the others he'd be able to look after himself, he wasn't throwing up any more.
Peter managed to sneak a quick chat with Ray before the bell went off, sitting on the bed opposite him. Egon was downstairs, preparing some more medicine and instructing Janine on how to measure the doses.
"Hay buddy," Peter said softly, seeing Ray's tired and feverish eyes focusing on him.
"Hey." Ray said weakly.
"Don't worry, you'll be on your feet in no time."
"It wont be the same." Ray sniffled into the pillow.
"Huh? What wont be?" Peter asked, puzzled "c'mon Ray, fess up!"
"It's- there was supposed to be a new Walt Fleishman plush, a really limited edition of Dopey Dog. I-I had hoped to get it."
"Well, I'm sure it'll still be there-"
"No, not likely. There's a limited number of them, they're a super rare production. I've been waiting ages." Ray sighed "I guess it doesn't matter, I can't walk far." he was sounding drowsy again and dozed off with Peter still sat there.
Venkman frowned, wishing he could help.
He finally left as the buzzer rang, leaving Janine to look after Ray as he, Winston and Egon hopped into Ecto-1.
But Ray's sadness at missing something he longed for continued to play on repeat in Peter's head, even as he trapped the last ghost to resounding applause.
Back at HQ, Janine did her best to make Ray feel better, bringing him the medicine he needed, as well as the radio she usually kept on her desk, so he'd have something to distract him.
She also kept Slimer from bothering Ray, telling the green ghost that poor Ray needed lots of peace and quiet.
As they were heading home for the afternoon, Peter asked the others to drop him off near the shops, he had something he wanted to pick up.
He was almost to the Hi-Fi shop when he caught sight of something he recognised. It was the Toy Store that Ray favoured and there in the window was a fancy looking plush. It was Dopey Dog, no doubt about it.
-See, still there.- Peter thought, about to walk away knowing that he could reassure Ray, when there was a flash of movement. Scooting back a step, Peter seen a sign had been placed by the stuffed toy.
LAST ONE! It proclaimed in big letters. Tilting his head, Peter could see the tag did indeed show this was the last numbered one. He glanced from the shop window, to down the road where he could hear music drifting from the H-iFi shop. He'd finally saved enough-
But when he thought about how poor Ray was stuck in bed, missing out on the dream because of a chance sickness, he was torn. He'd never found himself in a situation like this, before…
"Hay Pete!" Winston waved as he seen Peter come in with a bag. In it seemed to be a whole bunch of things, including some candy. "shopping spree?"
"Mm-hm." Peter nodded, making his way upstairs "I'm gonna test out my new gadget and for the record, I may be deaf later."
Winston rolled his eyes, Peter could be so weird at times.
Upstairs, Peter shut the bedroom door behind him as quietly as he could. Ray was fast asleep, looking a little better, but still feverish. Rummaging around in the bag, Peter very silently withdrew- a plush dog. He brushed his fingers over its fur, seeing the hand-sewn details on it. It was far more intricate than any other Ray owned.
"Gotta admit, you're pretty impressive." he told the plush, before sneaking over to Ray's bed. Stealthily, he lifted Ray's arm and tucked the plush dog under it. Ray automatically nuzzled it, making a happy noise as he recognised a soft thing, even in his sleep.
-So cute, even when he's asleep.- Lying back on his own bed, Peter removed a high-tech portable music player from the bag. After the cost of the plush, it was all he could afford. But he had to admit it was a nice bit of gear, he'd be able to wander around with this thing tucked under his arm. Annoy Egon with it, perhaps…
Just then, Winston stuck his head round the door. "Uh, Peter-?"
He'd finally clocked Peter might be intending to test his new Hi-Fi and that Ray was still asleep- but when he caught sight of Peter, then man was lost in the music, a big pair of headphones over his ears. He seemed entirely unaware Winston was even there!
So Zeddemore just shrugged and left, it seemed Peter'd gone for a more personal unit than a big showy noise blaster. How unexpected….
Ray woke later on, feeling much more clear headed. His fever had finally broken and- he blinked as he realised he was clutching a plush in his arms. He sat up, turning it over in his hands but there was no denying it, this was the plush he'd been sighing over in his comics, where had it come from?
-Peter?- he thought, faintly recalling telling Venkman about this exact thing. There was no other way.
He felt a strong surge of affection for the man, hugging the plush to his chest.
"Good, you're up. How are you feeling?" Egon asked as he walked in then, seeing Ray was up and hugging a plush Dopey Dog. Stantz had several plushes of that dog in his office, he must've fetched one at some point during the day.
"Better." Ray said with a smile, as he sat through Egon's tests.
"Well, the good news is your temperature is almost back to normal and you're looking much better. I'd say you'll be back to normal in a day or so. Are you hungry?"
"Yeah.." At the mention of food, Ray's stomach gurgled loudly "I'm starving."
Egon nodded, looking relieved. Ray got up, the toy dog still held in his arms and followed Spengler down to the kitchen. The others were there and greeted him cheerily, glad to see him up and about.
Peter couldn't help but think about how adorable Ray looked, standing there in rumpled PJs, clutching the Dopey Dog plush in one arm.
Ray sat there and listened to them talk about the days work, whilst nibbling away at a plate of food, his new plush sat on his lap. He caught Peter's eye as the other man got up to go to the bathroom and Peter winked at him. Again, this little gesture went unnoticed in the clamour of an evening meal.
"Peter!"
Peter snapped out of his daydream as he heard Ray's voice. Looking up from his coffee, he seen a rosy-cheeked and bright-eyed Ray standing by the table.
"Hay, there." Peter smiled as Ray ordered a milkshake from the waitress and beamed at her. She blushed, thinking what a cutie this fella was too…
Once he'd drunk about half the shake in one go, Ray smiled at Peter.
"Sorry I'm a little late, were you waiting long?"
"Nah," Peter smiled, smiling at his partner "I was just enjoying some memories."
Ray tilted his head to one side "were they good? You were smiling when I came in."
"The best." Peter grinned, then set a bag on top of the table "Happy Early Birthday, Raymond."
"Ooh!" Ray clapped his hands as Peter set the bag in front of him. Opening it, he seen a detailed plush of Ronald Rooster this time, to go with Dopey Dog.
"Peter, how?"
"I contacted an old friend, who spoke to Walt. He remembers us saving his tuckus before, so when I asked if I could get a plush for your birthday, he was more than happy to have one custom-made."
"It's- Peter, I love it!" Ray hugged the plush tightly, heart swelling with joy. This was the best birthday EVER!
"Would you boys like some refills- oh! Is that Ronald?" Ray blinked at the waitress as she leaned in to examine the plush.
"Yeah, it is. Are you a fan?"
"Oh I am indeed, hon. I have all my original dolls from my childhood, you're never to old for Fleishman movies, I believe!"
Ray looked pleased at punch to meet another fan and ordered more drinks plus some food for himself and Peter. Venkman was grinning ear to ear, seeing Ray so happy made the day the best ever. They stayed an hour or so in the Cafe, just relaxing and talking together. After that, they headed home, Ray humming the theme songs to various movies and Peter trying to guess which one it was.
When they arrived home, the others were out, save for Janine. She thought the plush was adorable, she had a little niece who was mad about them…
Peter and Ray headed upstairs to put Ronald with Dopey.
"He's perfect." Ray whispered to Peter, who wrapped his arms around the red-head's waist and kissed the back of his neck gently.
"I'm happy you like him, Ray. I wanted to get you something special, something unique..."
Ray turned, feeling Peter's arms move to his sides, tracing patterns over his shirt. He kissed Peter, feeling so excited, this was the best early birthday ever.
"Thank you, Peter."
"Anytime, Ray, anytime."