My Muse || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

📷 My Muse || Chapter Eleven

"What did you just do?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Take a picture of you." He replied nonchalantly, holding the film up to the light.

"Why?"

"Because I like you."

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My heart started to pound out of my chest.

Ray likes me?

Ray likes me.

Ray likes me!

My eyes, glued onto his camera found their way to his face.

It was supposed to be a happy moment. I would look into his eyes, glowing with warmth and jump into his arms. He would tell me he loves me, that he did ever since he met me. I would tell him I loved him back. We would spend every day left at Grace Field together. Every day until he was adopted, or if I was.

It was going to be a happy moment, right?

Our eyes locked. This was it.

He wasn't smiling. He wasn't laughing.

I scanned his face for any genuine emotion and I found one. Crazed anger. His smile was lopsided, gums flashing. When he looked at me he didn't see a human. He saw a tool. I was a tool to Ray. His fingers still clutching that stupid camera were trembling with excitement. Not for me. Not for us. His eyes were open the widest I'd ever seen them, some sick adrenaline rush dilating his pupils. He was sweating.

In the corner of my eye I saw Norman's face, staring straight at me. His eyebrows furrowed, trying to signal something to me. "Don't let him know. Don't let him know you know."

It felt as if I was stabbed in the heart.

Had... Ray ever cared about me?

I thought about it. I thought that we were close. But in retrospect, he spent the most time with Mama than anyone else. Sometimes he disappeared, just for him to magically reappear closing the door to Mama's room as if he was leaving.

Every second we spent together, did it mean anything at all? He laughed with me. He smiled with me. He woke me up when I was having nightmares. He made them stop. He let me love myself because I loved him.

Every moment I'd ever spent with Ray all converged in my head.

"There is something wrong here. And there is someone who is helping some terrible things happen." Norman's voice echoed in my head. "And I think that person is Ray."

Every time he'd ever said my name started to replay.

"y/n." Ray said, gently pulling me into a hug.

"y/n." He'd say, grabbing my arm.

"y/n. Can I sit with you?"

"y/n. I want to spend more time with you."

"y/n, I like you. I like you so much."

The echoes came to an abrupt stop.

"y/n." I turned to my left, meeting the real Ray's voice. He grabbed my hands, pulling them between our chests. Even with that psychotic smile, he was handsome, I admitted to myself. Even if he wants to hurt me, I would love him.

I felt something tug at my skirt.

"y/n?" Little Connie and her bunny looked upwards, smiling brightly. Her cheeks were flushed, watching our experience with love. "Do you like Ray too?"

I returned my attention to the person in front of me. Somewhere buried in those cold gray eyes I sensed some warmth, some love. Ray wasn't gone. Just lost. I put on my best smile.

"Of course." I squeezed his hands, holding my breath. I have to look red, shy and be embarrassed.

"I-I love you, Ray."