#i'll quit my job and make become the fandom editor

[roomwithanopenfire]

the way there are so many snowbaz edit ideas just floating in my brain but i'll never be able to make them because there's no movie or tv show

[fizzyxcustard]

I have a prompt! How about some Ray Levine? Fluffy comfort fic? Very original, I know 😆

Masterist of fics

Fandom: Stay Close

Summary: You and Ray work together at a local newspaper office. You have both had feelings for each other for quite some time. After a bad day, Ray offers to cheer you up, but those feelings you both share soon become apparent.

Pairings: Ray Levine x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Angst. Mutual pining. Language. Insecurity. Jealousy. Sexual references.

Comments/Notes/Housekeeping: Thank you for reading. As always, if you wish to be added to any of my tag lists, then please let me know. If you like the fic, please consider a reblog. :)

You rested your head in your hands at your desk. The pain in your temples and behind your eyes was intensifying. Another migraine. Truth be told, you hated this job. Your boss, James, was constantly breathing down your neck, and he seemed to have taken a dislike to you. You weren't like most of the other women who worked in the office, full of make up, slim, and dressed as though you had just stepped off a catwalk. To James you weren't a woman he could ogle.

"Are you okay?" a voice came. You looked up to see Simon, one of the other editors. He smiled at you and then placed his hand on your shoulder. For a split second you froze, feeling that sensation of discomfort begin to settle in your stomach.

Ray walked in through the door at the back of the office, his eyes immediately catching sight of you. But seeing Simon at your side made him sigh.

"Hi, Ray," you said cheerfully, looking up at the photographer of the local newspaper. He was gorgeous, but seemed to be oblivious to that fact.

Ray stepped up in front of your desk, glancing icily at Simon. He said your name and smiled.

Simon smirked at Ray, his dark eyes filled with something that you often identified as manipulation and slyness. You looked between the two men, sensing that they hated each other.

"Oh, Ray, I've got that DVD in my car that you asked to borrow," you said, widening your eyes at him, hoping that he would go along with your lie.

"Right, sure."

Simon smiled at you again. "Do you still fancy that drink tomorrow night, sweetheart?"

"Y...yeah, sure," you stuttered, feeling the sweat accumulate in your hairline.

Help me, Ray!

You and Ray walked down the centre of the room, between the two aisles of desks and disappeared out of the door at the end.

"I just needed to get out of that room," you gasped. Cold air immediately hit you as you exited the building. It pressed against your cheeks, cooling them down.

Ray looked at you for a second, noticing your eyes fill with tears. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"I hate this job. Everything about it; the work, the people. James is constantly pressuring me and makes it obvious that he likes all the prettier women over me. You're the only person who doesn't belittle or patronise me." Tears fell down your cheeks.

Ray couldn't help but edge in closer to you. He reached out nervously, his hand cupping your arm. "Do you want to come and spend some time with me after work? I'll cook you some dinner."

You looked up at Ray and smiled, nodding your head. "I'd like that," you replied, adding a chuckle.

After work and you drove to Ray's, feeling so much nervousness and excitement sit in your stomach. You'd had a huge crush on him for months now, ever since he first graced the doorway of the office. He was so much more down to earth than anyone else you worked with, talking with you whenever he came to drop off his SD card of photographs and pick up his payment.

You tapped on his door and waited. A light came on behind the net curtain of the front window. Then the door opened and he appeared. He was dressed in a simple black T-shirt, which showed off the tattoos on his arms. The number of times you had studied his arms and hands, tattooed and full of rings, strong and probably able to please any woman.

Ray smiled at you, catching a faint whiff of your sweet perfume. He immediately felt his heartbeat begin to speed up. He let you into his large, downstairs flat. "Make yourself at home. I've got some Bolognese cooking, and some cheesy garlic bread."

"Sounds perfect," you replied.

You looked around his flat, viewing the photographs on the walls. War zones. Celebrities. Landscapes. All watermarked with Ray Levine in the corner. Then your eyes fell to the leather sofa and armchair. A bookcase filled with photography books, crime novels and poetry books. Poetry? That made you raise an eyebrow. Ray had never really seemed the type of man to like poetry.

"Do you want a drink?" he asked, re-appearing. "Alcoholic or non-alcoholic?"

"I'll go for non-alcoholic for now as I'm driving. Can I have a coffee with one sugar and milk?"

"Yep. Back in a tick."

A few minutes later and Ray came back with the drinks and placed them down on the coffee table, which was situated in front of the long, leather sofa. The two of you sat side by side, a few inches apart. So close, yet still so far.

"I didn't know you and Simon were a thing?" Ray asked.

The comment caught you off guard.

"Oh, no. Definitely not. Why do you think that?" you asked.

"He said about taking you for a drink, so I assumed..."

Your cheeks flashed red and you looked away, your heart thundering. "I....can't stand the man. He scares me."

Ray caught your gaze and kept it locked for a few seconds. "Why have you agreed to go for drinks with him then? Love, you have every right to say no. Don't let the creep back you into a corner."

The tears began to well again. It reminded you of how much you liked Ray, and in your mind knew he would never want anything more than friendship. Simon was a last resort. Maybe a way to try and show Ray that you didn't like him...even though you did. It all felt like being back in high school, trying to show your crush that you didn't like them.

Ray reached out and gently took you into his arms.

You closed your eyes as you entered into the warmth. It was the most comfortable you had felt in months, suspended in kindness. His arms were right around you, and suddenly you felt him kiss your cheek.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling away. "I shouldn't have..."

You looked at Ray and whispered his name as his eyes kept darting away, trying to focus on anything but you. Finally, his eyes met yours. "It's okay," you told him. "If you wanted to kiss my cheek then I don't mind at all...it's something different if you didn't want to."

"Of course I wanted to," he replied.

His answer was eager, and you saw light flicker in his eyes. Or were you maybe looking for something that wasn't there?

"Shall we go and eat?" he asked.

The two of you ate your food, but every now and again, your eyes would meet. You could sense sadness in Ray, and by the time you had finished your meal, he disappeared into the kitchen to clear the plates away.

Ray stood at the sink and looked out into the darkness behind the window. He knew he'd been stupid by kissing your cheek, allowing you to catch a very slight glimpse of the fact that he had feelings for you.

"Ray? What's wrong?" you asked. You stood behind him in the kitchen, feeling that tension between you both having grown so absurdly large. "Is this to do with you kissing me in the living room?"

He turned around and looked at you, his face full of sadness. "I've never been any good at this. Fuck!"

"Maybe I should go? I'm sorry."

"Please don't. It's me. I make everything worse than it is. I want you to stay."

You looked down at your feet and felt heat humming through your body. You wanted Ray, in every way that a woman could want a man. Maybe by you saying something then it would give him confidence. However, that constant fear of rejection reared its ugly head. You knew that you needed to shove it away and deal with the consequences later.

"When you kissed me on the cheek, Ray, it...it was something I've wanted for so long. Only I've wanted it to be my lips you're kissing. The truth is, I like you. I really like you. I'm sorry if you got the wrong idea about me and Simon, not that I'm assuming you like me back..."

Ray's face had lit up, his eyes bright and a grin highlighting just how gorgeous he was. "Do you really mean that?" he asked.

"Yeah," you replied. The look on his face was showing you that all of your feelings for this man were requited. You could see a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Ray stepped close to you and wound his arms around your waist. You placed your hand against his chest, feeling tight muscles beneath the fabric of his T-shirt. He then closed that space between you and took your lips against his.

You closed your eyes upon the impact and let his tongue delve into your mouth. As you kissed, you heard him groan, and then his lips began to wander down your neck. His stubble tickled your neck and you couldn't help but exhale loudly, the breath becoming caught up with a whisper of his name.

The two of you ventured back into the living room and fell to the sofa, still clinging to each other. Your lips explored each other thoroughly, and you smiled into the air as Ray's lips moved down your body, inching down over your stomach. His hands began unbuttoning your jeans, taking them down slowly.

***

The next morning and you stepped out of Ray's car as he parked up in the car park of the newspaper office.

Nosey pairs of eyes watched the spectacle of you and Ray showing off your newfound relationship in public. One pair of eyes, belonging to Simon, glared angrily.

You and Ray walked past Simon who was still staring at you both. Ray had his arm around your waist.

"Oh, Simon," you said, with a smile. "I can't make that drink tonight."

***

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