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Sand has just managed to situate himself when his phone starts lighting up with text after text, then ringing stubbornly. Trying to keep the jostling to a minimum, he grabs it with a curse: he needs to shut this thing up for an hour, if not forever. It’s that or throwing it out the window.
Ray, who doesn't seem to mind a little jostling, immediately whisks the phone from his hands.
“Wait, babe, it’s Nick! You should answer him.” He doesn’t sound the slightest bit dazed and, sure, he’s hard, but it’s still vexing. Sand must have been doing something wrong.
“Ray,” he points out, patiently. “I am inside you.”
“Really? Hadn’t noticed.”
Just for that, Sand thrusts in deep, soothing his pride with the stuttered little “o” of Ray’s lips.
“Saaaaand, come on! It’s nothing he hasn’t heard before. Call him back, I wanna say hi.”
Sand sighs, tries to count to ten and gives up at five.
“Fine. But you’ll owe me.”
He presses the dial icon, ignoring Ray’s smirky “owe you for what, he’s your friend, not mine.” Nick picks up immediately. There’s music playing in the background.
“Sand?”
“Hey Nick, what’s up? Do you mind if I put you on speaker?”
“Not at all, why? Is Ray there?”
“Hi Nick!” Ray trumpets. You can hear the heart sticker in his voice.
“Hi Ray. Sorry to interrupt.”
“You” - of course that’s the moment Ray chooses to clench around him. Sand’s groan is mostly exasperation. “You didn’t. Interrupt.”
“Oh, I see. Good, then! Look man, I need your advice. Ray’s too, of course.”
Ray points two thumbs up, mouthing back “of course” so Sand pats his flank and drawls “he’s happy to be included. What is it, buddy?”
“Well, you know how I said I would probably drop by to see Boston, since I was going to New York?”
“Nick…”
“We haven’t fucked, man, relax. I’m being good.”
Ray snickers, presumably at the face Sand made. “How is he?” he calls to Nick.
Sand decides to start moving in tiny, shallow rolls. He’s not being possessive, he just hates that Ray refuses to admit he and Boston used to fuck, even after Sand fessed up about the mutual handjob in YOLO’s men bathroom that one time.
“He’s good, he’s good,” Nick answers. “Great actually. Like, thriving. And, uh, the evening was really nice, we went for drinks and all, and when he started chatting this guy up I didn’t feel weird about it, was just having fun watching him turn on the charm, you know how he gets -” Ray only moaned to be a tease (he could stand to be a little less obvious about it, honestly), but Nick chirps “exactly!” and continues, unbothered, “so like I said, really nice evening, but then Boston and the guy went to finish it behind the bar, and Ton turned to give me a look and I, uh, I…”
“You?” Sand prompts, helpful.
“I think he wanted me to follow and listen.”
“Yeah,” Ray replies. “Duh.”
“So what’s the problem here, Nick?” Sand does try to be a good friend. He does.
“Well, it’s just… isn’t that a little bit, like… unethical?”
Sand doesn’t respond, too submerged by the sad realization that Nick came to them for advice on ethics. Ray seems delighted.
“Aww, Nicky,” he coos. “Nick. Nickyboy. I salute your efforts toward bettering yourself, but when people fuck in backalleys they do not give a shit about eavesdroppers. Right, Sand?”
“Shut up,” Sand mutters, but Ray brightly pushes back: “Right?”
“I mean”, Nick ponders, miles and miles away. “I guess so. Yeah, I guess you’re right. ”
“I am.”
“Yeah, no, you are. I should go.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Sand asks, because one of them has to think with his upstairs brain. “Won’t it bring back bad memories?”
Nick hums. Sand can picture him, alone at a dimly lit table, lost in thoughts. Can also picture his grin going all dopey when he counters “They weren’t all bad, though. Thanks guys, call you back later. Have fun. ”
“Nick -” Sand closes his eyes as the line goes dead. This time, he only bothers counting to three. “They’re definitely going to fuck by the end of the week.”
“Try the end of the night. Listen, it’s fine, they’re big boys. Enough about them. Where were we?”
“I don’t know”, Sand smiles, palms pressing down on Ray’s hips. “Where?”
“Sand.”
“Hm? It couldn’t have been that important if I answered the phone.”
“You’re gonna regret that,” Ray laughs, pouts, threatens - Sand bends down to kiss him. He likes his odds.