The laughter didn't stop right away.
Kate was still trying to breathe, Julia leaning back with that same amused look—
and Ray just sat there, red, completely done.
Then—
Kate glanced at him.
Ray glanced back.
A pause.
Kate froze.
Her expression changed instantly, the laughter dying mid-breath.
Her face started heating up fast.
Ray frowned slightly, still confused—
then it clicked for him too.
"…Oh," he muttered.
Kate looked away immediately, her posture stiffening.
The room went quiet for a second—
very different from the laughter just before.
"So… you're still a dick!" Kate said quickly, turning back to him a little too fast.
Ray blinked, caught off guard. "…That's your conclusion?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kate crossed her arms, avoiding his eyes. "Yeah," she muttered.
Julia glanced between them, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly. "…Solid argument," she added.
"If I said something while being drunk, I probably meant it," he said, raising his hand slightly like he was defending himself.
Kate froze.
Her eyes flicked to him for a split second—
then away again.
Her arms tightened across her chest. "…You also tried to sell yourself for twenty euros," she muttered, a bit too quickly.
Julia let out a quiet breath, watching them. "…Selective honesty," she added dryly.
Ray glanced between them, realizing that didn't help his case.
"You both are hot as hell, and 20 euros was a reasonable price for my services…" he added, still trying to defend himself.
Kate stared at him.
Just stared.
Then her face went red again almost instantly.
"…Oh my God," she muttered, looking away, one hand coming up to her face.
Julia let out a short breath through her nose, shaking her head. "…Entrepreneur mindset," she said dryly.
Ray shrugged slightly, like that helped.
Kate pointed at him without looking. "Stop talking."
"I'm just a milf connoisseur," he added, winking at Julia.
Kate's head snapped toward him immediately.
Her eyes widened—
then narrowed just as fast.
"…I'm going to kill you," she said flatly, stepping toward him and hitting his arm again, not even gently this time.
Julia just raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed. "…Charming," she muttered.
Ray flinched. "Ow—hey—"
Kate didn't stop glaring at him.
"I like you too! I still swing Kate as well—"
"STOP IT!" Kate snapped immediately, stepping forward and hitting his arm again, this time harder.
Her face was completely red now, eyes locked on him.
Ray flinched, raising his hands slightly. "Okay—okay—"
Julia let out a quiet breath through her nose, watching the two of them. "…You're not helping yourself," she muttered.
Kate pointed at him again. "Not. Another. Word."
"Talk to you later, baby," he whispered, looking at Julia like he was about to call her.
Kate didn't even hesitate—
she hit him again. "I SAID STOP," she snapped, completely done, grabbing his sleeve this time.
Ray winced. "Okay—okay—Jesus—"
Julia just looked at him for a second, unimpressed. "…Good luck with that," she said dryly.
Kate was still glaring at him, not letting go.
"Like she wouldn't like some younger dick—"
Kate hit him again immediately. "OH MY GOD—" she snapped, completely done, pushing him back.
Ray flinched, half-laughing, half-defending himself.
Julia turned her face away slightly—
a small, involuntary smile slipping through as a faint blush touched her cheeks.
"…Idiot," she muttered under her breath, not looking at either of them.
"So… when we drinking again?" he asked, laying back down like nothing just happened.
Kate just stared at him.
Long pause.
"…Never," she said flatly.
Julia let out a quiet breath through her nose, shaking her head slightly. "…He learned nothing," she muttered.
Ray closed his eyes like he was already over the conversation.
"I did learn something…" he said, pausing just long enough to make it worse.
Kate actually looked at him, a bit curious despite herself.
Julia smirked faintly, already expecting nonsense.
"I can kiss Kate all I want when I'm drunk!"
Kate froze.
Her face went red instantly.
"…What?" she said, staring at him, completely caught off guard.
Julia let out a quiet breath, the smirk growing. "…Bold conclusion," she muttered.
Ray just lay there, like that made perfect sense.
Kate grabbed the nearest thing—a pillow—and hit him with it. "You're not drinking again. Ever."
And as if he found a bit of courage, still slightly drunk—
he reached out and gently took Kate's hand.
"I do like you, you know?"
Kate froze instantly.
Her fingers tensed in his—
but she didn't pull away.
Her eyes flicked to his face, then away again, her cheeks still warm.
Julia's smirk softened just slightly as she watched, not saying a word this time.
The room went quiet again—different now.
"And I'm sorry I made you cry," he added, quieter this time.
Kate's fingers tightened slightly in his hand.
Her eyes flicked up to him again—
then away.
Her lips parted like she was about to say something—
but nothing came out.
Julia glanced between them, the smirk gone now, giving them space without stepping in.
"I did kick you in the nuts, so… we're even."
Kate said it a bit too quickly, like she needed something to break the moment.
Ray blinked at her—
then let out a quiet breath, a faint smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. "…Yeah," he muttered.
Kate looked away again, but her hand still hadn't moved
Julia glanced between them, arms loosely crossed, watching the shift without interrupting.
"You are adorable," Julia finally added after a minute of silence, her tone lighter again.
Kate's head turned toward her immediately, eyes narrowing just a little.
Ray winked at Julia, playfully blowing her a kiss.
Kate let go of his hand instantly.
"OH my God—" she snapped, grabbing the pillow again and hitting him
Julia just shook her head, a small smile still there. "…You walked into that," she muttered.
Ray winced, still grinning.
"Hey! I'm all for polyamory!" he said, raising his hands slightly like that explained everything.
Kate didn't even hesitate—
she hit him again. "STOP TALKING," she snapped, completely done.
Ray flinched, laughing under his breath. "Okay—okay—"
Julia let out a quiet breath, shaking her head with a faint smile. "…He's fearless, I'll give him that," she muttered.
"Julia on top, Kate next to her… what a life would that be…" he whispered—
not quietly enough.
Kate went completely still.
Then slowly turned her head toward him.
"…I'm going to actually kill you," she said, dead serious this time, grabbing the pillow again and hitting him straight in the face.
Ray groaned into the pillow. "Worth it—"
Julia turned her head away again, pressing her lips together, a faint blush creeping back as she tried not to react. "…You really don't stop, do you," she muttered.
Kate hit him one more time for good measure.
"How can I be homophobic, my bitch is gay!" he sang mid-hit, completely off-key, still trying to commit to it.
Kate froze for half a second—
then hit him again. "STOP SINGING," she snapped, trying not to laugh and fail at the same time
Ray just kept grinning through it, barely defending himself.
Julia turned away fully now, covering her mouth as a laugh slipped out. "…I can't," she muttered, shoulders shaking slightly.
Kate shook her head, still standing over him. "…You're unreal."
"Can't blame a man for trying to get two beautiful girls to stay in his life, right?" he said, turning his head toward the doctor like he wanted backup.
The doctor paused mid-note, looking at him over his glasses for a second.
"…I'm not getting involved in that," he said simply, going back to his chart.
Kate stared at Ray, completely done. "…You're asking the doctor now?"
Julia let out a quiet breath, shaking her head. "…Man's expanding his audience," she muttered.
Ray just gave a small shrug like it was reasonable.
"If I ever hug Julia for some reason, it's kinda like hugging you, Kate… because you both are stars that shine my day," he said dramatically, gesturing like he was on a stage.
Kate blinked at him.
Once.
Twice.
"…That is the dumbest thing you've said today," she muttered, but her tone wasn't as sharp anymore.
Julia raised an eyebrow, a faint smile pulling at her lips. "…That might actually be the nicest dumb thing," she added.
Ray nodded slightly, proud of himself.
Kate looked away quickly, her fingers fidgeting again.
"Girls, I have two free hands for both of you! No need to fight!" he said, lifting his hands like he'd just solved everything.
Kate stared at him—
then slowly shook her head. "…You're unbelievable," she muttered, but there was a faint smile she couldn't fully hide.
Julia let out a quiet breath, crossing her arms again. "…Generous," she said dryly.
Ray just grinned like he'd made a great point.
"But… day to day use, Julia… damn," he muttered to himself, not quite quiet enough.
Kate's head snapped toward him instantly.
"…Excuse me?" she said, narrowing her eyes.
Julia turned her head slightly, raising an eyebrow, a faint smirk slipping through. "…Careful," she muttered.
Ray blinked, realizing he'd said that out loud.
Kate crossed her arms, staring at him.
"It's not my fault she's walking half naked around our cabin! It's her fuckin fault I'm horny for some milfs!" he blurted out, completely serious.
Kate froze.
Slowly turned toward him.
"…I'm going to actually kill you," she said flatly, stepping forward and hitting him again without hesitation.
Ray flinched. "OW—hey—"
Julia just stared at him for a second—
then looked away, pressing her lips together, a faint blush creeping in again despite herself. "…You really don't filter anything, do you," she muttered.
Kate crossed her arms, still glaring. "Say one more thing."
Ray flinched. "OW—hey—"
Julia just stared at him for a second—
then looked away, pressing her lips together, a faint blush creeping in again despite herself. "…You really don't filter anything, do you," she muttered.
Kate crossed her arms, still glaring. "Say one more thing."
Julia let out a quiet snort, shaking her head. "…That was technically correct," she added.
Ray grinned like he'd just won something.
The doctor stepped forward, glancing at Ray's chart.
"Alright. When you were unconscious, my nurse checked your… tennis balls," he said professionally. "You can't have sexual intercourse for a week."
Ray looked at him.
Paused.
Like something clicked.
"…I wouldn't get any now, doctor…" he said slowly—
then looked straight at Kate.
Kate froze.
Her face went red instantly.
"…Oh my God," she muttered, turning away, covering her face.
Julia let out a quiet breath, shaking her head. "…Timing is incredible," she said dryly.
The doctor just looked at Ray for a second—
then back at his chart, deciding not to engage.
"Doctor…" Ray said, looking at him, slowly raising his hand like he needed saving.
"Help me. She's gonna make me watch Star Wars."
Kate dropped her hands from her face immediately. "I am NOT—" she started, then stopped, realizing she absolutely was.
Julia let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head.
The doctor looked at Ray for a second—
then at Kate—
"…I can't help you with that," he said simply.
Ray let his hand fall back dramatically.
"…I'm doomed."
Kate pointed at him. "You are."
Julia just leaned back, smirking slightly as the room settled.
The chaos—
finally—
paused.