The waiting room had gone quiet.
Hours had passed.
The early morning light now spilled through the windows, pale and soft, stretching across the empty chairs.
Kate sat there, slouched slightly, her eyes heavy, her hair a mess, her clothes wrinkled from not moving much.
Julia sat beside her, leaning back, arms crossed, just as tired—but holding it together a little better.
Neither of them had said much in a while.
Kate rubbed her face slowly, exhaling.
Julia glanced at her briefly, then back ahead. "…You look like shit," she muttered.
Kate let out a quiet breath, not even bothering to react properly. "…Feel like it too."
The silence settled again.
Somewhere down the hall, a door closed.
Kate's eyes flicked toward it—
then back down.
A door down the hall opened.
Both of them looked up almost instantly.
A doctor stepped out, scanning the room before his eyes landed on them. "You can go in and speak to him now," he said, calm and matter-of-fact.
Kate straightened slightly, the tiredness still there but something else cutting through it.
Julia pushed herself up first, nodding once. "Alright," she said.
Kate stood up a second later, a bit slower, brushing her hands against her clothes before glancing toward the hallway.
Neither of them said anything.
They just started walking.
As Kate stepped into the room—
the doctor gently stopped Julia for a second, pulling her aside.
"He had drugs in his system. You said he only drank?" he asked, lowering his voice.
Julia frowned slightly, glancing toward the room for a brief moment. "…He did," she said, her tone steady but more serious now.
The doctor watched her for a second, not fully convinced.
Julia exhaled lightly through her nose. "…He had vodka on him. A lot of it," she added.
The doctor nodded slowly, still processing. "There was more than alcohol," he said.
Julia's expression tightened just a little.
"That explains why he was acting like he was twenty different people at once…" Julia muttered, glancing toward the room again.
The doctor gave a small nod. "Yeah," he said, matter-of-fact.
Julia let out a quiet breath through her nose. "…Makes sense," she added, more to herself this time.
"Well, I'm not gonna scold them for it—as at the camp they're free to do whatever they want, as you know. But I don't think he took it voluntarily," Julia said, her tone steady but more serious now.
The doctor looked at her a bit more closely this time. "You think someone gave it to him?" he asked.
Julia glanced toward the room again, her jaw tightening slightly. "…Wouldn't surprise me," she muttered.
"If I find out who did it, he's gonna be in big fucking trouble," Julia said, her voice dropping slightly.
The doctor gave her a measured look. "Let's focus on getting him stable first," he replied calmly.
Julia exhaled through her nose, nodding once. "…Yeah," she muttered.
Julia gave a small nod and followed the doctor inside.
Ray was already talking.
"All I remember is taking some blue pill and then… it's a blur," he said, his voice rough but more grounded now.
Kate stood near him, arms loosely crossed, watching him closely.
Julia paused for a second just inside the room, exhaling softly.
She stepped in fully after that, her expression settling back to neutral.
"Why would you take drugs, you idiot!" Kate snapped, stepping closer—
and then started hitting him.
Not hard.
Just quick, frustrated hits against his arm and shoulder.
Ray blinked at her, caught off guard. "Ow—hey—"
Kate didn't stop. "What is wrong with you?!" she went on, her voice shaking now.
Julia leaned against the wall slightly, watching for a second before stepping in. "…Alright, that's enough," she said, reaching out to catch Kate's wrist gently.
Kate's hand stilled—
but she didn't step back right away.
"No, he's gonna be a drug addict now?! Stupid, fucking idiot!" Kate snapped, still hitting him in quick, frustrated bursts.
Ray flinched slightly, trying to block some of it. "Hey—okay—ow—"
Julia stepped in closer this time, catching both of Kate's wrists. "…Kate," she said firmly, pulling her back just enough.
Kate resisted for a second, breath uneven, eyes still locked on him.
Ray looked between them, still trying to process what was happening.
"Next time you do something like that, I'm just gonna leave you naked in the middle of nowhere!" Kate snapped, still trying to get at him even as Julia held her back.
Ray blinked at her, a bit more awake now, rubbing his arm. "…You already did that," he muttered.
Kate froze—
then yanked one hand free just to hit him once more. "That was different!"
Julia tightened her grip again, pulling her back slightly. "…Okay, we're done hitting him," she said, calm but firm.
Kate stood there, breathing uneven, still glaring at him.
Ray raised his hands slightly, like he finally understood he should probably not talk.
"I mean I took some pills, I'm sorry. But it's not like I did anything stupid!" Ray said, defensive now, sitting up a bit.
Kate just stared at him.
For a second—
then let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh. "Are you serious right now?" she snapped.
Julia exhaled quietly, pinching the bridge of her nose for a second. "…Don't," she muttered under her breath.
Ray looked between them, confused. "What?"
Kate stepped forward again. "You drank half a liquor store, ran into the woods, started a war with trees, and tried to fight hospital staff!" she shot back, counting it off like she couldn't believe she had to explain it.
Ray blinked.
"…I did?"
"You sure? I don't remember any of it," Ray said, genuinely confused, looking between them.
Kate just stared at him, completely done for a second—
then let out a breath, shaking her head. "…Yeah," she muttered, running a hand through her hair. (of course you don't)
Julia crossed her arms, leaning slightly back. "Trust us," she said calmly.
Ray frowned slightly, still trying to piece it together.
"What… what else did I do?" Ray asked, a bit more cautious now.
Kate didn't answer.
She just looked at Julia.
Julia let out a quiet breath, crossing her arms. "…Alright," she said.
Ray straightened slightly, already nervous.
Julia glanced at him. "You called Kate 'Princess Peach bitch'… repeatedly," she started.
Ray blinked.
"…I did not."
Kate just raised an eyebrow.
Julia continued, completely calm. "You also said you wouldn't even let her kiss Kate's feet," she added.
Ray's face started to change.
"…What?"
"And then you switched sides," Julia went on. "Started defending her. Said Kate would beat her ass."
Kate looked away, trying not to react.
Ray's ears went red.
Julia didn't stop.
"You asked if she was a robot. Called her an impostor. Then kissed her face to confirm she was real."
Ray froze.
Kate crossed her arms, looking anywhere but at him.
Julia tilted her head slightly. "Oh—and you tried to negotiate sex in Spanish."
Ray's entire face went red now.
"…No."
Kate let out a short breath that almost turned into a laugh. "…Yes."
Julia shrugged lightly. "Twenty euros."
Ray covered his face with both hands. "Oh my God…"
Julia gave a small nod. "…Also, you planned your future kids with her."
Ray slowly dragged his hands down his face.
Kate pressed her lips together, staring at the floor.
"…I'm going to die," Ray muttered.
Julia tilted her head slightly, like she'd just remembered something.
"Oh—I almost forgot," she added.
Ray looked up slowly.
Julia tilted her head slightly, like she'd just remembered something.
"Oh—I almost forgot," she added.
Ray looked up slowly.
Julia continued, unbothered. "And singing. A lot."
Ray's eyes widened slightly.
"…No."
"Horribly," Julia added.
Kate turned away, covering her mouth as a laugh slipped out.
Julia glanced at him. "Billy Boys. Gangnam Style. Despacito. French anthem."
Ray slowly leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"…Kill me."
Kate finally let out a breath of laughter, shaking her head. "…Yeah, that sounds about right."
Julia shrugged slightly. "You had range."
"I… I do that sometimes. I'm half Scottish," Ray said, trying to recover some dignity.
Kate immediately turned away, shoulders shaking as she tried not to laugh.
Julia raised an eyebrow slightly. "…That wasn't Scottish, that was a full personality," she said calmly.
Ray rubbed his face, still red. "…I hate all of you."
Kate glanced at Julia—
Julia glanced back—
and that was it.
Kate straightened slightly, putting on a terrible accent. "Right, where the fuck is the manager of this lovely establishment?" she said, completely butchering it.
Julia immediately followed, just as serious. "Hello lassie, where can I find this bastard that runs the IRS around here?" she added, mimicking his tone perfectly.
Ray froze.
"…No."
Kate kept going, barely holding it together. "Get away from me you open cheeks!" she added, losing it halfway through.
Julia snorted, then joined in again. "You five pounds cheap whore—" she said, shaking her head, already laughing.
Ray covered his face again. "Oh my God, stop—"
Kate leaned slightly forward, pointing at him. "I'm a married man!" she added, laughing now.
Julia wiped under her eye, still grinning. "Man of enormous culture," she threw in.
Ray groaned, dragging his hands down his face. "…I'm leaving."
Kate wasn't done.
She leaned forward again, pointing at him. "Princess Peach bitch," she said, nodding like she was making a point.
Julia immediately added, just as calm, "Impostor. That's not Kate," she said, narrowing her eyes at him.
Ray groaned louder. "Oh my God—"
Kate kept going, barely holding it together. "Twenty euros. Hola chica—" she added, already laughing.
Julia picked it up smoothly. "Me make love," she said, completely straight-faced.
Ray dropped his head into his hands. "…Stop—please—"
Kate wiped at her eyes, still going. "Little rabbit babies," she added, voice cracking from laughing.
Julia nodded slightly. "Harvard, of course," she said.
Ray made a strangled noise. "I didn't—no—"
Kate turned slightly dramatic now. "YOU WERE THE CHOSEN ONE!" she shouted.
Julia followed instantly, without missing a beat. "You were my brother, Anakin," she added calmly.
Ray leaned back, staring at the ceiling like he wanted to disappear. "…I hate you both."
Kate stepped closer, still smiling. "Queen, I told you my heart belongs to Kate," she said, mimicking him.
Julia tilted her head slightly. "We won't do any BDSM," she finished.
Kate lost it again, laughing fully now.
Ray covered his face again. "…I'm actually never recovering from this."
Kate wiped at her eyes, still laughing, trying to catch her breath.
Julia shook her head slightly, a faint smirk still there as she looked at Ray.
"…It's like she's 100% sexy, 100% smart—" she started, nodding toward Kate.
Then glanced back at him.
"And you just went all in on cuteness."
Kate let out another breath of laughter, shaking her head.
Ray just sat there, red, completely defeated.
"…I hate this place."