Henry is 19 in this! They had no romantic relationship until he turned 18/19.
"You and me, we made an oath."
Henry rolled his eyes at the voice behind him and kept his focus on the computer.
"Henry." said Ray, a hint of hurt in his voice. Henry continued showing no attention.
"Henry, look at me damnit!" Ray boomed and aggressively swung the chair around to face him.
"Jesus, what?"
"That's all you have to say, what?"
"I'm not going through this again. Nothing. Happened."
"Nothing happened? I've seen the pictures! I have them right here!"
"You're acting crazy, Ray." Henry turned the chair back around and continued his work, emotionless.
"Crazy? I've had my doubts for months but didn't say anything. Now this? How are you going to deny these pictures of you and-"
"They're probably edited, Ray! Surely you'd know by now the cons of being a superhero is people will make stuff up, they're bored and have no lives." Henry scoffed.
"It's not even just the pictures, it's you! How you act around me now. For gods sake Henry you cant even look at me when i'm talking to you."
Henry groaned and logged out the computer and got up. "I don't have time for this. I gotta go."
As Henry walked past Ray to get to the elevator, Ray grabbed his arm. "We're supposed to be a team."
"Get off me, man." Henry ripped his arm back.
Anger brewed inside of Ray watching his boyfriend leave as if their relationship meant nothing.
"Ever since that night you've been different! And I know that little delinquent has something to do with it!"
Henry stepped into the elevator, distracted by his phone. "Don't know who you're talking about."
Ray watched as the elevator doors shut, his boyfriend now gone. He hasn't realised how much he was shaking with anger, veins popping out his arms and his nails dug deep into his palms.
"You fucking-" Ray punched the wall, causing the entire man cave to shake and some chunks fell from the ceiling. He leaned against the wall in defeat and slid down, angry tears glazing his eyes.
-
Henry threw his backpack to the floor of his bedroom and collapsed onto his bed. "God…" he rubbed his eyes, exhausted. He leaned to over to his bedside table and pulled out his laptop. He rested it on his lap and opened it up, the glow of the last page he visited still sitting there. He scrolled, admiring the content. Within seconds the pleasure on his face faded slightly, how was he going to tell Ray?
-
A ding went off as the elevator doors opened, revealing Charlotte. "Hey!" she chirped happily.
All she got back from her boss was a grunt. She paused, "You okay?"
Ray remained with his back to her, staring aimlessly at the computer screen. She noticed the bottles of empty alcohol surrounding him. "Are you… drinking at work?" she asked.
"Leave me alone." he mumbled. "My boyfriend's cheating on me, let me have this."
"Cheating?" she smiled. "Good one Ray." she laughed.
Her laughed slowed when she realised he wasn't joking. "Wait… you don't actually think Henry's cheating on you do you?"
"Take a look for yourself." he hiccuped from the alcohol, gesturing to the computer. She looked at the screen and clenched her jaw a little, to not say what she knew about. "That's not proof." she laughed nervously. "That could be anything, anyone."
"Nope, that's him alright. I know every centimetre of that boys body. You can see the freckle behind his ear there, the way his hair pokes out a little in that one spot, his athletic shoulders and that perfect round a-"
"Too much information!" she covered her ears. She sighed and put a hand on Rays shoulder. "I know Henry. He loves you more than anything. He would never do that, okay? He wouldn't even look at another guy if it meant losing you."
Ray shrugged. "That's what I thought too. But the way he's been acting with me, I dunno man. It just hurts so bad." he held in his tears to not cry infront of Charlotte. She thought to herself for a moment and sighed. "Listen, how about I go fetch us some hot wings? They'll cheer you up."
"No… that's me and Henry's favourite place. I appreciate the offer Charlotte but I really just want to be alone right now, I don't think I've ever felt this low before." He turned off the screen. "I can't even look." He stood up and stumbled to the back where his room was.
"No more alcohol! I'll be right back!" she yelled and ran to the elevator.
-
Henry was now at his desk, scribbling down notes on his notepad. He looked stressed, counting on his fingers and scribbling things out. His bedroom door opened behind him and Charlotte walked in. "Hey Hen. Jasper was right behind me I don't know where he's-"
They heard a yell and a thudding sound behind them. Jasper was lying on the floor, leaves in his hair.
"And what are you doing?" said Henry.
"I came in through the window." he groaned in pain and pushed himself up.
"Why?" asked Charlotte, utterly confused.
"I don't know, I feel cool when I do it. Like I'm a superhero like Henry." he smiled.
"You think superhero's climb through windows all day?"
"Well- oh I dunno." he rolled his eyes and sat down.
"Anyways…" said Charlotte. "Listen Henry, this is really important."
"What's up?"
"It's Ray. He thinks you're cheating on him and he's like really really upset."
Henry sighed, "I know. I feel awful." he stood up and sat beside Jasper on the bed. "I just wanna tell him but- I dunno. I don't know how he'll react."
"Anything will be better than this. I walked in that man cave and it stunk."
"Stunk? Of what? Did Schwoz fart again."
"No! Atleast, I don't think so."
"Nah, if he farted you would've known." said Jasper.
"True. I think the whole of Swellview can smell his farts." the two boys laughed.
"Guys!" said Charlotte. "This is serious. Alcohol. It stunk of alcohol!"
"He's drinking? Ray almost never drinks."
"Exactly. That's why you have to tell him- or atleast make him think something else."
Henry sighed stressed. "Alright." he thought for a moment. "Why don't we say I'm dying?"
Charlotte groaned. "No! That's even worse."
Jasper intervened, "I say you just tell him. What's the worst that can happen?"
Henry began pacing the room. "He breaks up with me, he finds a new hot kid danger, I come back and they're just snogging underneath the tubes, he gets so worried while I'm gone that he works himself to death. Just so much."
"Okay, I think you're really overthinking this. Ray loves you. None of those things are happening or going to happen. What's happening right now is Ray is upset and just needs the truth."
"Yeah… you're right. Will you come with me?"
"Of course we will." Jasper smiled, a hand on his best friends shoulder.
-
Henry's stomach turned with nerve on his way down the elevator. He's gonna be so disappointed…
The elevator hit the ground, but what he saw shocked him more than any ride he'd taken on it.
"Smell good right?"
"Wow, they really do."
Ray was on the couch, his feet propped up, a skinny but toned guy the same age as Henry with silky brown hair taking over his forehead, cute little dimples on each cheek sitting beside him. Way too close.
"Uhhh…" said Henry.
Charlotte and Jasper stood behind him equally confused.
Ray had a big smile on his face. "Hey guys. What'd ya need?"
"Who's… this?" asked Charlotte. She noticed the plate of hot wings they were sharing. "Hey that was my idea!"
"This is Jack." Ray looked at Henry. "My new sidekick."
Silence filled the room.
"What are you talking about?" said Henry, a hint of confusion in his voice. "We didn't talk about this."
"Well, Henry. That's the thing. A sidekick is supposed to be reliable, brave, and a good fighter yes, but most importantly, loyal." Ray stood up and walked behind Jack. "And Jack is loyal." he said, hands on Jacks shoulders. "He will be replacing you."
Charlotte watched Ray with gritted teeth. What on earth was Ray doing?
"I'll always be loyal to you, Ray." Jack looked up at Ray and placed a hand ontop of his, smiling.
Stupid smug face.
Henry stormed over and grabbed Jacks hand, throwing it off Ray. "Don't you touch him." he snarled.
"Not nice is it, huh Hen?" said Ray.
Henry could've pierced Rays eyes with the look of pure anger and hurt he gave him. "You…"
"Me what?" Ray smirked, expecting a fiery jealous reaction from his boyfriend.
"You make me sick." he muttered, calmly. "We're done."
Ray swore he could've felt his heart get impaled by the sharpest blade known to man. "Wait…" he tried to say, but all that came out was a shaky mutter. He was frozen, all he could do was watch the boy remove his watch and place it on the desk and walk to the elevator, not even looking back. The second the doors shut, Ray dropped to his knees. "I…I didn't…"
Jack placed a hand on his back. "Are you-"
The hand was slapped away instantly. "Get off me! Get out!"
"But…"
Ray didn't let him finish and grabbed the boys arm roughly and dragged him across the room.
"Ray what are you doing!" Charlotte yelled as the teenagers pried the boy off him.
"Take him away before I do something i'll regret." he said.
"Ray, I thought you liked me?" he cried.
"What?" said Ray. "Of course I don't. I was using you. Why would you even think that?" he yelled.
Charlotte somehow managed to console Jack and helped him to the tubes. Although Henry was her bestfriend, Jack had just been dragged into it and was innocent. She understood that, hence helping him but she still never wanted to see the boy again.
"I'm into blondes anyway." Ray spat, heading to the back again.
"Hey! You're going nowhere. Jasper grab him!"
Jasper made a sad attempt at grabbing the superhero, only to get thrown off in one swift move.
He stayed laying on the ground of the man cave.
"Well, can't say I didn't expect that to happen."
Jack had finally gone, so Charlotte ran over to Ray and stood in his way. "Hey!" she yelled.
"Charlotte, get out the way." he said sternly.
"No! What the hell was that? Was that supposed to make Henry jealous? If so, that is so not the way to go! You've made a huge mistake Ray!"
"Don't you think I know that."
Charlotte sighed. "I know you're hurting. But-"
"My life is ruined. I can't be happy without him. I don't want to be happy without him." he slid his back down the wall and sat on the ground, allowing himself to cry.
"I… have nothing without him." he said through tears.
"Ray, let me talk!" said Charlotte. Finally she could get a word in. "Henry was never cheating on you."
Ray ignored her.
"I know you don't believe me Ray, but it's the truth."
"She's right Ray." Jasper finally got off the floor.
"He was too scared to tell you… incase things changed." she said.
Ray looked up at her, tears still falling down his face.
"Tell me what?"
She took a deep breath, hoping her bestfriend wouldn't kill her for telling him. But to be honest, things probably couldn't get any worse than how they are right now.
"Henry is..."
-
Stay tuned for chapter 2! Already nearly finished.