Oh My God, They Were Roommates

30 | Mr. Brightside

"I swear to God, if you say you aren't good enough," Charlie threatened with a scowl that caused Ray to pause, eyes settling on Charlie. Charlie rolled his eyes. "I've never known Sora to fake liking a person. Except at work. But work's different."

"Has he... ever had a boyfriend before?" Ray asked, realizing that he never thought to ask. There were those times Sora said he had a date, but by now Ray had dissected them enough to know that it was a lie to cover up the fact that he was off to the club to spin upside-down on a pole for cash.

Charlie thought about it for a moment. He opened his mouth, and Ray's eyes widened, only to sober when Charlie snapped his mouth shut again, deep in thought.

He opened his mouth again, hand raising. Ray straightened. Charlie dropped his hand and shook his head with a sigh, scratching at his chin.

"I'll take that as a no," Ray said, dully. Something about this realization hit him as disappointing rather than surprised. He blamed it on his desire to have someone else take the reins and know what to do.

He stopped that train of thought right there because why the hell was he actually considering this?!

"Yeah, honestly... I don't think Sora's dated anyone now that I think about it. He's never mentioned having a partner, even in high school," Charlie confessed. "You know he used to tell me that he was exclusively attracted to Ruby Rose?"

Ray burst out laughing. "You're kidding! That's amazing—I hope he had, like, a pinup of her or something."

Charlie shook his head, laughing. Ray lamented this knowledge with a groan. "And what's this I hear about that Mexican bastard? Not you, the other one."

Ray giggled again, blushing. "His name's Xavier and he's a friend of mine from elementary school. He's here on a scholarship for pole vaulting."

"Wow, two men who work the pole—all in the palm of your hands—"

"Ch-Charlie!" Ray gasped between fits of laughter. He kicked his feet out at the water, cackling. "W-We're just friends now! But he really likes me and I really like him, I just think there's gonna be a huge adjustment period. He's spent the past decade thinking I'm... a girl. And calling me by my deadname."

"Oh." A moment of silence after Ray whispered, "Yeah..." It wasn't awkward silence, however, and Charlie broke it with a startled, "Oh! You're—!"

Ray jumped, alarmed. "You mean you didn't—?"

"No!" Charlie cried, slapping a hand over his eyes. "I'm sorry, I never—"

"Th-That's okay! That's the point!" Ray cried, alarmed. Truthfully, he was flattered that Charlie never knew. In a perfect world, everyone would just assume he was a guy. "A-And it's different with you guys. You never got to know me before I started T or changed my name. It took my Aunt actual months to stop calling me by my old name. I mean, she named me. She was attached to it. And... I got into trouble a lot in high school and she used to curse at me with my full name and now—"

"I get it, I get it," Charlie said, waving his hand. He smiled and said, "In that case, I'm glad you got to introduce me to the real you. My vision is unclouded."

"Yeah... So..."

"It is an issue, though," Charlie reiterated, and Ray slumped. He loathed to hear the words he was thinking spoken out loud. "But the only reason I'm not opposed to this Xavier business is because I once changed Sora's name in my phone."

Charlie took a sip of his drink, which prompted Ray to say, "... And?"

"I spent a week wondering who the hell 'Thicc Booty' was in my notifications. Every damn time he texted me it took me five seconds to realize who it was. He doesn't even have a thick booty! It's firm but it's flat, you know what I'm saying?"