They're Only Photos || Norman x Ray

29

RAY

"If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

~°~
Gilda led Ray through the hallways that still managed to confuse him after all this time of living amongst them. It was like a maze: an endless maze between him and the challenges ahead. He gulped, shivering slighty although it wasn't cold. 

Gilda stopped at a door on the ground floor: Room 10, it read. "Most of the ground floor rooms are reserved for the apartment staff," she explained. "But I would have a third floor room, since I also work in the main Studio Building."

"Nice," Ray agreed absentmindedly, he was too busy thinking about what he was gonna say to Don. Jeez, how did he get himself into this situation? What an idiot he was, thinking he could just barge in on Norman's new boyfriend and throw a hissy fit because he felt some type of way.

"You're nervous, aren't you?" Gilda observed. She stared at him sympathetically. Slowly, Ray nodded, blushing.

Gilda smiled at him. "It's okay to be nervous. To be honest, I'd never have as much courage as you."

"Thank you," Ray managed to squeak.

"Besides," Gilda continued. "If you really are a perfect match for Norman, you'll be able to get to him no matter what. Is another dude gonna get in the way just because you let him?" Gilda seemed way too confident in him, but Ray shook his head.

"Exactly," she finished sternly. "So go in there, and kick some Don-ass!"

Ray grinned. That last part was more his style, he had to admit. He had a feeling he could really get along with Gilda. "Thanks. I needed that," he admitted.

Gilda shrugged. "My speciality. You know, Norman used to always come to me with his problems. He seems like an open book, but he's not really. Norman has a different personality towards different people. So he's not very much open, more of a chain-and-padlocked and locked-in-a-safe kind of guy."

"Huh. Nice use of metaphors."

"Yup. Now, enough with basic grammar. Go."

Ray nodded, took a breath and then looked behind him in a moment of doubt. Gilda was walking away from him, but she seemed to sense him watching and gave him a thumbs up from across the hall.

Steeling his nerves, Ray knocked three times on the door and waited.

DON
~°~
Meanwhile, from behind the very door Ray was knocking on, Don was trying to chat up a certain someone. He looked up when he heard Ray knocking, but immediately ignored it, thinking it was only the maids or some other bother. He really didn't need this right now.

Norman🥰
I'm busy Tuesday too.

                                                                                                                                                                                   You
                                                                                                                                                 How about Saturday?
                                                                                                                                                                         ᴿᵉᵃᵈ ¹³:⁰⁴

He sighed. Norman wasn't replying. He glanced at the door and got up from the sofa, slipping on his shoes and walking toward the door.

When he opened, he wasn't really happy to see Ray standing there, looking awkward. Nonetheless, he took a deep breath and said, "Hey, Ray," at the same time Ray stuttered out, "Hi Don!!" They stared at eachother. 

"Awkward silence.." someone mumbled. Gilda stuck her head into the door.

"Gilda!" Don exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Gilda smiled at him politely. Was Don imagining it, or had she just winked at Ray? Wait.. they weren't a thing, right? Don knew Emma had been smitten with Gilda back in highschool but he hadn't realised they'd drifted so far apart that Gilda would go as far as get a new boyfriend.

"Ray needs to talk to you about something," Gilda explained. She glanced at Ray, and he nodded soundlessly.

Don was surprised. He barely knew Ray but now Ray was coming to him to talk? He had to admit that was strange.

"Ray... what exactly do you want?"