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It had been small things, at first.
Just little things, like how Gavin would follow Michael around, trading X-Ray and Vav for Team Nice Dynamite. Geoff’s new Minecraft ideas would all feature Ray as the bad guy, making him steal the Tower and sending the others after him. Ryan shut him with Edgar and wouldn’t let him back up, laughing as he replaced every block Ray broke. Jack murdered him brutally in every video they recorded, seemingly magnatised to Ray.
He might have understood if it was all for the fans, of course. Ray loved their fans and he loved it even more when they secretly organised plot. But it wasn’t.
At home, within the privacy of their home, it was just the same.
Do you remember when we used to be better friends? Michaels mocking tones would echo around his head endlessly, the redhead curled up with Gavin constantly. There was no space for Ray to make breakfast, either. What happened to Smartie pancakes on Sunday mornings? Instead, the kitchen was filled with Geoff happily cooking up whisky pancakes, his latest ‘genius idea’. He seemed to have forgotten that Ray hated the mere sight of alcohol.
And then one day he woke up to an empty house.
Ray padded downstairs, looking around for his boyfriends sadly. A note was waiting for him on the table, Geoffs scrawl covering the paper.
Don’t come in today.
-Geoff
Ray didn’t even read the other notes covering the paper, the note scrunched up angrily in his hand, tossed at the wall and forgotten. He scrubbed hands over his eyes tearfully. They didn’t want him. They didn’t even want him at work. They didn’t love him.
He ran upstairs, stopping in the doorway of their room. It took him less than a minute to pull out his phone, calling the one person who wasn’t at work- Tina.
Rays hands were shaking as he tugged on his packpack zipper, sliding it closed. He was ignoring the tears that streamed down his face, pulling the bag on. He looked around the closet, his gaze lingering for a moment on the empty sixth. He tightened his grip on the bag straps, his (Ryans) favourite jumper shoved in there along with the warmest beanie he (Michael) owned.
Bang.
Ray jumped as the front door slammed open, five worried voices calling his name. He shrunk back against the back of the closet, one hand over his mouth the other reaching for his suitcase. The door was shoved open, and Ray barely had time to squeak before warm arms were wrapped around him and Michael was clinging to him, and- Was that tears?
“He’s up here!” Gavin tugged Ray and the definitely crying Michael out of the closet, the Brits hands a bit tighter than normal. As soon as the backpack had been stolen from him and he was on the bed, Gavin was wrapped around his other arm.
Ray blinked up as the Gents came tumbling in, slightly confused as Ryan cupped his cheeks, the blond kissing away the last few tears sliding down Rays cheeks.
“What the dicks, dude? Tina came storming in and said yelled at us? She said you were leaving.” Geoff asked, hints of anger and worry twined in his voice. At those words Michael let out a quiet sob, his arms tightening. Ray opened his mouth, eyes flickering between each of them nervously as they looked at him expectantly.
“You can’t leave.” Michaels voice broke the uneasy silence. “You were my first, Ray. You’ll always be my first.” He whispered, and something in Rays heart breaks.
He starts to cry, turning to wrap himself around Michael, clinging to the redhead. He finds himself in the middle of a giant cuddle pile, barely able to move.
“I thought you didn’t love me anymore.”
The cuddles intensify, arms and hands gripping at him tightly. “Of course not. We all love you.” Jack murmurs to him, running his hands through his hair soothingly.
“You’re an idiot.” The voice is muffled, but that’s definite fondness in Michaels tone. It makes Ray hold on tighter, Michaels grip on him just as strong as it had always been, right back to that night in New York.
“We thought you were unhappy, so I gave you the day off.” Geoff mumbled, the only one sitting up. Ray tugged him into a kiss, and everyone relaxed at the simple gesture “We love you. Promise.”
“I love you too, assholes.”