coming out oh noes [for thatsbuddies]

[je_nesaisquoi]

As he was getting out of the shower, Ray thought for the eighteenth time that he should never, ever get drunk again. He always managed to say something to Kowalski that he regretted the next day. Sure, the first time it led to really amazing sex, but that was beside the point.

The point was that this last time, he said something stupid about

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[thatsbuddies]

Ray was in the living room, freshly showered and shaved, wearing a newish shirt that wasn't a tee-shirt. Vecchio was in the bedroom, getting ready himself.

Vecchio was nervous, that was obvious. And Ray--well, he was nervous for Vecchio. He wanted this to go okay because he knew how much Vecchio loved his family, and he was proud of Vecchio, and it was pretty fucking amazing that someone was risking everything Vecchio was risking just for him.

But at the same time, Ray didn't want Vecchio to go through with this if he wasn't absolutely sure that the consequences would be worth it.

He got up, walked into the bedroom and leaned against the door, watching as Vecchio got dressed. He was wearing pants and an undershirt and putting on his belt, and that momentarily distracted Ray because hello, hot.

"Hey," he said gruffly.

[je_nesaisquoi]

Ray looked over, finished buckling his belt, then went over to find a shirt.

"Hey," he repeated, and he at least sounded like he wasn't freaked out of his mind. "Want something?"

[thatsbuddies]

Ray would have grinned at that and made a comment, but he knew that Vecchio was nervous, so he restrained himself with effort.

"Nah. Just...you know, you can change your mind. It's not gonna hurt my feelings. You don't wanna tell her, you don't gotta tell her."

[je_nesaisquoi]

Ray pulled a light sweater on over his head. He glanced back at Kowalski, who, again, seemed sincere.

"Come on. You ready to go?"

[thatsbuddies]

"Yeah." Anxious, Ray went into the living room, following Vecchio.

He was nervous about the dinner, sure. And he was worried about Vecchio. In fact, being worried about Vecchio was making him twitchy.

So, as per usual, he started talking a mile a minute as they left the apartment and headed towards the car. Ray didn't even mention driving.

[je_nesaisquoi]

They got to the car, then during a two second pause when Kowalski needed to breathe, Ray spoke.

"You wanna drive?" Nonchalant. No big deal.

[thatsbuddies]

Ray stared at him.

"What?" he asked, shocked. "Of--of course I do, but you don't--don't you want to?"

[je_nesaisquoi]

Ray shrugged, hands shoved deep in his pockets.

"Don't really feel like it." Which, okay, was weird. After all, he usually hated being stuck in the passenger seat. But for some reason the idea of driving to his old house right now was...daunting.

[thatsbuddies]

Ray blinked, but he shrugged and kept walking to the GTO, moving over to the drive's side. He opened the car and slid inside, buckling in and starting the car.

He wanted to ask Vecchio if he was okay, but he was worried if he asked him again, Vecchio might get really really annoyed and...yell at him, or something.

Ray drove to the Vecchio house, sneaking looks at Vecchio the entire time they were driving. At one point, he put the radio on the classic rock station and tried to make Vecchio smile by singing along to Carry on my Wayward Son.

[je_nesaisquoi]

Ray was pretty properly distracted. He hummed along to the song, watching the road in otherwise-silence.

Then they turned onto his old street.

He ran a hand over his hair, probably not hiding his nerves very well.

[thatsbuddies]

Ray switched off the ignition. He looked at Vecchio, put his hand on Vecchio's knee. "Ray," he said quietly. "You don't have to do this. Okay?"

[je_nesaisquoi]

Ray rolled his eyes, but put his hand on top of Kowalski's. "Yeah, I do."

And that was fine. He was sick of being a damn coward.

[thatsbuddies]

Ray nodded, expelling a breath. "Yeah," he said gruffly. "I get it. I do, V." He opened the door and stood up, waiting at the corner of the street for Vecchio to join him.

They walked in silence up to the house, and then Ray fell back a little to let Vecchio open the door. He followed him inside, the house dark and cool.

And--this was a rarity--really quiet.

[je_nesaisquoi]

"Hey--" Ray started to call out, tone at the usual level of loud that was needed in the house. But it was quiet.

Way too quiet.

He shot Kowalski a worried look, as if the only reason for this could be that his family had been murdered.

"Uh, hello?" he tried again, voice slightly lower.

"Raimundo, there you are!" His mother came hurrying over, gave her usual greeting of hugs and kisses and fretting over how thin both men looked.

"Ma, where is everyone?"

"Maria and Tony took the kids to the aquarium, and Frannie had a date. She's dating!" She looked thrilled.

Ray, however, did not. He gave Kowalski a somewhat terrified look.

[thatsbuddies]

Ray just looked back, hands shoved in his pockets. He had no idea what to say.

Ma Vecchio clucked over him and hurried him along to the dining room, where she'd set the table like it was Christmas even though there were only three places.

"You didn't have to go to all this trouble," Ray said, even though the idea of eating anywhere else was absolutely foreign to Ma Vecchio when there were guests. Even if was just Ray.

"Nonsense! It was nothing." Ms. Vecchio beamed. "I am so happy you have come for dinner, Raimundo. And you, Ray. I think it is so good you boys take care of each other, but how will you eat?"

[je_nesaisquoi]

"We know how to feed ourselves, Ma," Ray said as he took a seat.

"That's not the same as a home-cooked meal from your mother. Don't be ungrateful!"

Ray sighed. This was going so well already.