The road stretched ahead under the dim glow of streetlights, the city slowly coming into view in the distance.
They were only fifteen minutes away from the hospital now.
Inside the car, the energy had shifted again—quieter than before, but not as tense. The hum of the engine filled the space as Ray leaned back in his seat, half-awake, half-gone, his breathing uneven but calmer.
Kate sat beside him, a little closer than earlier, though she didn't seem to notice it herself.
Up front, Julia kept driving, eyes steady on the road, the faint outline of buildings growing clearer with every passing minute.
"Sorry, Miss Peach… I got lost in Narnia…" he mumbled, his head tilting slightly as if that explained everything.
Kate let out a quiet breath, closing her eyes for a second. "…Of course you did."
Julia didn't even react this time. "At least it's not Star Wars," she said calmly.
Kate glanced at him again, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.
"And yeah… it's good she doesn't hate me, because she looked so cuuute that night…" he mumbled, his voice soft and dragged out. "And I was so saaad I didn't brush my teeth…"
Kate's eyes dropped for a second, her expression softening again before she quickly looked away.
Julia let out a quiet breath. "Your priorities are incredible," she muttered.
Kate shook her head slightly, but there was no annoyance left—just something quieter.
I mean, I know you're cute and stuff… but if you got made by some Luigi god—WHO MADE HER?" he blurted out, suddenly more animated. "How can someone make something this perfect? Like, tell meeeee…"
Kate froze again.
Completely.
Her breath caught, and for a second she just stared at him, her face slowly turning red as the words sank in.
Julia's eyes flicked to the mirror, one eyebrow raising slightly. "…Wow," she muttered.
Kate looked away almost immediately, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to play it off. "…You're so drunk," she said quietly.
"No, no—tell me, Peach… where the fuck does he hide the machine? I want to see the settings!" he went on, gesturing weakly like he was trying to figure out some grand mystery.
Kate just stared at him, completely speechless, her face still warm. "…You're actually insane," she muttered, looking away again.
Julia let out a quiet laugh. "If you find it, let me know," she said.
Kate shook her head, trying to suppress a smile.
"I mean, he must've gone—100% hot, 100% smart—and then the motherfucker just poured EVERYTHING ON CUTE like in a casino!" he said, throwing his hand up weakly like he was betting it all.
Kate stared at him, completely stunned, her lips parting slightly before she looked away fast, her face burning.
Julia shook her head, a small laugh escaping. "That's one way to describe it," she said.
Kate rubbed her face, trying to hide it. "…You're actually impossible."
"You think if I sell my kidney I'll have enough money for her?" he mumbled, completely serious in his tone.
Kate turned to him instantly. "Okay, stop—what?!"
Julia let out a short breath. "Absolutely not. Keep your organs," she said flatly.
Kate shook her head, but there was a small, helpless smile there now. "…You're such an idiot."
"How the hell do I get her a diamond ring in the future oooor get our kids into Harvard?!" he blurted out, voice rising again like this was a real, urgent problem.
Kate choked on a breath. "OUR—?!"
Julia burst out laughing. "Wow, he's planning ahead," she said, shaking her head.
Kate stared at him, completely red now, then turned away fast, covering her face with one hand. "…You need to stop talking."
"Like, you know, I want to be a good father… and have cute babies with heeer!" he rambled, completely sincere. "Like rabbits, you know?"
Kate made a strangled noise, immediately covering her face with both hands. "NO—okay, stop, STOP!"
Julia laughed out loud this time. "Alright, that's enough future planning for tonight," she said.
Kate leaned back, still hiding her face. "…I'm never talking to you again."
"Queen, you tell me… how do I make a woman like her happy?" he mumbled, his voice softer again. "I'm kind of like Donkey Kong and she's 100% everything…"
Kate slowly lowered her hands, her expression changing again, the embarrassment fading into something quieter as she looked at him.
Julia glanced at them in the mirror, her tone calmer now. "You don't buy that kind of thing," she said simply. "You just don't screw it up."
Kate's eyes flicked to Julia for a second… then back to Ray.
"…You're doing a pretty bad job so far," she muttered—but there was no bite in it.
"Little rabbit baaabies…" he mumbled, smiling faintly to himself, clearly pleased with the idea.
Kate let her head fall back against the seat. "I'm going to lose my mind…"
Julia shook her head, a quiet laugh escaping. "At least he's consistent," she said.
Kate peeked at him again for a second, then looked away, her expression softer than she probably wanted it to be.
"Peach, you think she would mind twins? Like Romulus and Remus, you know?!" he added, suddenly excited again.
Kate stared at him, completely stunned. "…You already named them?!"
Julia let out a short laugh. "At this rate, he'll have their college picked out in five minutes," she said.
Kate covered her face again, shaking her head. "…I can't with you."
"Harvard, of course, my Queen! They won't be some drug dealers—but she's gonna punish them. I would beat them, because that's what my father diiid…" he trailed off, his voice losing strength at the end.
Kate's expression changed instantly.
The embarrassment faded, replaced by something more serious as she looked at him. "…Don't say that," she said quietly, her voice firm now.
Julia's grip on the wheel tightened slightly, her eyes flicking to the mirror. "Yeah. We're not doing that," she added calmly.
Ray shifted slightly, barely aware, his earlier energy fading again.
Kate kept her eyes on him for a second longer, her expression softer now—but grounded.
"Good… good," he murmured, his voice quieter now. "Because I hoped many times he would die… I don't want to be like him."
A tear slipped from the corner of his eye, trailing slowly down his temple.
He didn't react.
Didn't notice.
He just kept staring ahead, unfocused, like nothing had happened.
Kate saw it immediately.
Her expression shifted, all the teasing gone as she looked at him, something soft and heavy settling in her chest.
Julia caught it in the mirror too, her face growing more serious, her grip steady on the wheel.
Kate hesitated for a second… then gently placed her hand over his, careful this time.
"…You're such an idiot," she whispered.
But there was no anger in it.
"Now, ain't nobody tell us it was fair…
No love from my daddy, 'cause the coward wasn't there…" he started again, his voice low, uneven.
Kate's hand stilled over his.
"He passed away and I didn't cry…
'Cause my anger wouldn't let me feel for a stranger…"
The words hung in the air.
Kate slowly turned her head toward him, her expression tightening, something clicking into place as she listened.
Julia's eyes flicked to the mirror again, her face fully serious now, no trace of humor left.
Kate didn't say anything.
She just stayed there, her hand still resting over his, her thumb moving slightly without thinking.
"But yeah… fuck his bitch ass," he muttered at the end, like it was nothing, like it didn't carry any weight.
Kate exhaled slowly, her eyes staying on him, her hand still resting over his.
Julia kept her gaze on the road, quieter now, letting the silence sit for a moment.
Kate swallowed, then looked away briefly before glancing back at him.
"…Yeah," she said softly.
"Give me a smoke, Peach… or I might go to his cemetery and spit on his grave," he muttered, his voice dull, like he wasn't even thinking about what he was saying.
Kate's fingers tightened slightly over his hand.
"…You're not getting a cigarette," she said quietly, her tone firm but gentle.
Julia glanced in the mirror, her expression steady. "Definitely not," she added.
Ray just exhaled, barely reacting, his head resting back again.
Kate didn't move her hand this time.
As if he'd just remembered something brilliant, he fumbled into his pocket and pulled out a pack, clumsily rolling the window down.
He flicked the lighter after a couple of tries—
A second later, he was smoking, a faint, satisfied smile spreading across his face.
Kate stared at him in disbelief. "…Are you serious?"
Julia glanced in the mirror, unimpressed. "Of course he found cigarettes," she muttered.
Kate shook her head slowly, but her hand didn't leave his.
"My mind is clear now—get your hand away! Fucking Peach Princess bitch," he snapped suddenly, his tone shifting out of nowhere.
Kate's hand froze.
"My heart only belongs to Kate, so fuck off with all your hate…" he continued, eyes half-lidded, like he was performing something only he could see. "As if a darkness at the gate, in love I'm always late."
There was a beat.
Kate slowly pulled her hand back, staring at him, completely caught off guard.
Julia raised an eyebrow, glancing in the mirror. "Well. That was poetic," she said dryly.
Kate looked away, her face warm again, her fingers curling slightly in her lap.
"…You're unbelievable."
"Don't speak to me, hoe. I'm team Kate," he muttered, pointing weakly like he was taking a stand.
Kate stared at him, completely speechless for a second.
"…You are actually insane," she said, turning away, her face burning again.
Julia let out a quiet laugh. "At least he's loyal," she said.
Kate shook her head, trying not to react—but the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.
"So yeah… fuck that bitch ass. I love Kate. What else?" he muttered, like he was trying to remember a checklist, his voice fading at the end.
Kate froze again.
Completely still.
Her eyes flicked to him, then away, her throat tightening slightly as she tried to play it off. "…You're so drunk," she said quietly.
Julia glanced at them in the mirror, a faint smirk returning. "He's consistent," she said.
Kate didn't answer.
She just stared ahead, her fingers curling slightly in her lap.
"Hey, Peach… I'm sorry I called you a hoe," he mumbled, voice soft again, like nothing from a second ago mattered.
There was a tiny pause.
Then—
"You think Kate is a squirter? Because I don't want to drown or something. I can't swim!"
Kate went completely still.
"…I'm going to kill you," she said quietly, staring straight ahead, her face burning.
Julia choked on a breath, gripping the wheel. "We are so close to the hospital," she muttered.
Kate didn't look at him.
Didn't say anything else.
But her hand clenched slightly in her lap.
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