Oh My God, They Were Roommates

25 | Amnesia

a/n: There's a lot of Spanish in this chapter, and I don't know how else to SLIDE IN the translations in a non-abrasive way, so I'll be COMMENTING THE TRANSLATIONS until I can figure out a better way to go about this. I know it'll be an issue if comment threads start on those particular paragraphs 😅

"So you're moving here from Mexico?" Leo said over the rim of his tea mug.

Ray slipped a mug in front of Xavier at the kotatsu. Xavier thanked him, still smiling just as wide as every time Ray appeared in his view. Leo eyed them both suspiciously before dragging his eyes over to Huey, who said, "For pole vaulting? You're gonna be on the track team?"

Xavier glanced between them, his smile relaxing into a slow grin. "Yes—to both questions. I got a full ride and just moved into Hatsu Hall."

Huey gasped. "That's where I live."

"You're both athletes. Of course you both will be living there," Leo deadpanned.

Ray was in a tizzy. He could only half-listen to the conversation when there was so much to do. He thanked the Lord in Heaven above for Sora's adamant habit of closing his bedroom door, so it was only a matter of plucking the roommate agreement off of the refrigerator and hiding Sora's toothbrush in the bathroom.

There were a fuck ton of dishes, though, and—oh, deary him, the kitchen table was quite a mess. And don't get him started on his room—

Wait, Ray said, catching himself. He put his hands on his hips, souring a little. I'm a guy. Do all guys worry about how the place looks? I'm a guy, I shouldn't be worrying about this...

This train of thought immediately brought a cartoonish version of Sora to mind, saying, "That's your toxic masculinity speaking. Fuck off with that."

In the midst of his inner turmoil, Xavier turned around to face him, and Ray straightened with a yelp. "Are you gonna join us?" Xavier asked, gesturing to the empty spot.

"Y-Yes!" Ray said, scrambling back to the kotatsu. He tucked his crossed legs under the blanket and, perfectly poised, faced his friends. His cheeks were pink and his ears even more so. "I, um, I think it's so cool that you're going to USFC."

"Yeah, when I heard you were transferring and that I could get on the track team... It just seemed fated," Xavier said, his dazzling smile flustering Ray and wooing Leo. "I have wanted to move to California since you did."

"Th-That's ridiculous," Ray stammered, embarrassed. He tucked his hands against his ankles and said, "You love Mexico. I remember you never wanted to leave. Aren't your grandparents still there?"

"Oh, yeah, they'd never budge," Xavier laughed, waving a dismissive hand. "It's just me here."

"So... you and Ray knew each other when you were kids?" Leo said.

Ray took a sip of his tea as Xavier said, "Yeah she was—" Ray choked and coughed into his elbow. "He is my best friend."

Ray put the back of his hand over his mouth to hide the gasp he so desperately wanted to choke on. Leo licked his lips like he wanted to roll up the sleeves on his shirt and punch something. As Leo smacked his lips and said, "Well... actually—" Huey put a hand on the table and interrupted him.

"Okay, but back to pole vaulting," he said.

Leo took to his phone and started typing away furiously. When he was done, he pointedly put his phone down and looked at Ray, who's phone buzzed half a second later.