Raven's Secret Crush - 1. Raven's Secret Crush

Rave's Secret Crush

A Chris & Ben Collaboration

 

Altair was an S-rank shithead.

Raven Bran came to this conclusion after the fourth time one of his teammates flat-out ignored him and refused to pass him the ball. Each time, a fresh wave of resentment rose in his chest. Was it the wasted openings in the last quarter, or the way even their ocelot mascot, Mani, seemed to mourn the invisible divide splitting the team in two? Of all the games, his brother just had to sabotage this one.

Raven shot a look at Cane riding the bench and thought about asking the coach for a swap. Getting away from Altair sounded better by the second.

Before he could take a step, though, a sudden flash in the bleachers yanked his attention away. Someone shouted from the stands, loud enough to cut through the noise.

"WRECK THEIR RANCID RECTUMS!"

The battle cry came from the Wilsons, who waved a huge banner painted with the same words in dark orange. Even though they'd arrived late, Lee and his siblings were decked out in ocelot colors from head to foot. Mr. Wilson had half his face painted in support, and enthusiasm radiated from their entire row.

While humorous, the sight only laid on the pressure. Raven wanted to prove to the Wilsons, and to himself, that he could fix the mess his brother had made. If his teammates wouldn't pass him the ball, then screw them. He'd just have to steal it himself…

—

Two months earlier, back in the Bran household:

"Al, have you seen my socks? I'm missing two singles," Raven asked as he held up a blue and green sock.

"Touch my sock drawer and you're dead," Altair responded.

"You're not going to even take a look?"

"No, and again," Altair insisted. "Touch my drawer and you cease to exist."

"Fine. Fuck it." Raven sighed as he pulled on the mismatched socks. "Any idea when the 'rents get back?"

"Don't know. Don't care."

"Jeez, how do they even pay rent on time?" Raven muttered as he hunted down his backpack. Just then, the family jeep's ignition roared to life from outside. How did Al get out there so fast?

Just as Raven stepped out of the house, he saw his brother drive past while flipping him the bird.

"No warning?" Raven questioned as his brother sped away. "Didn't think I'd have to Uver to school today."

The Uver driver dropped him off a block from the school entrance. Once inside, Raven barely made it down the hallway before he spotted his older brother laughing with the rest of the basketball team. Their laughter made it clear Raven was the punchline. Al didn't even try to hide it; he pointed right at Raven as he passed.

Raven's annoyance faded, replaced by a fluttering anticipation, when he noticed Lee Wilson at the lockers. Lee was swapping binders in the locker just above his. His shirt rode up just enough to reveal a sliver of skin. The sight made Raven's breath catch in his throat.

Then, one of the binders caught his attention. He'd mentioned it the first time he ever met Lee, back when they both attended the first basketball tryouts. Though he was considered a jock, Raven enjoyed his fair share of sports-related anime series. He'd been excited to come across a fellow fan of Kuroto.

"Oh, I remember that one," Raven said, his voice coming out softer than he meant. He was close enough to catch a whiff of Lee's lemongrass body spray. "Kuroto no Basuke still doesn't get enough love, if you ask me."

"Underrated?" Lee scoffed. "It was in the top three back in 2013."

"But it will forever live below Slam Duck."

Lee's lips curled into a smile. Raven found himself distracted by the way Lee's light brown lashes lowered, obscuring his blue eyes.

"Anime from the 90s just hit different," Lee said, dropping his voice like he was letting Raven in on some secret. "But if you liked Kuroto, you gotta give Haiku a shot."

"Isn't that the volleyball anime? I barely know anything about that sport," Raven said, trying not to stare at the way Lee bit his lower lip.

"You know, we should probably—" Lee started to say, but someone cut him off before he could finish.

"Hey, quit hanging with the geeks!" Altair yelled, chucking a basketball right at the back of Raven's head. The sting made Raven grit his teeth. He refused to let Altair see him flinch.

Raven rubbed the back of his head and snatched up the ball, maybe a little harder than he needed to. "I'll stop when you stop being a dick. You paying for my Uver or what?" He shot Altair a look that could have burned a hole through him.

Altair threw an arm around Raven's neck and yanked him into a rough noogie. Raven squirmed, trying to elbow his brother in the ribs, but Altair just tightened his grip, using his height to his advantage. Raven wasn't as tall, but he wasn't about to just take it.

"Beat my layup record and maybe I'll give you a ride home," Altair shot back, just loud enough for Raven to hear. "Otherwise, you're just baggage."

Raven wasn't the best at close range, but Altair couldn't shoot a three to save his life. Their team was balanced on paper, but with this kind of tension simmering beneath the surface, it was a wonder they ever managed to win at all.

Whenever his brother was around, Raven might as well have been invisible. Altair and his giant ego always took up all the space, and nobody else seemed to notice or care.

Thinking like that just reminded Raven that he didn't have real friends, only people borrowed from his brother. If he talked about anything besides basketball or sneakers, nobody cared.

Most people lived for lunch break, but Raven's favorite time came right after: Algebra II. Having parents who worked as accountants and were barely ever home at least meant he'd inherited their skills with numbers. Math was the one thing he never had to worry about. He'd always gotten straight A-pluses without breaking a sweat.

Even without the lure of numbers and equations, the reason Raven loved that class was that it was the only class he shared with Lee.

"Remember that this final is worth 70% of your grade," Mrs. Allegro warned. Just then, the bell rang, and she held out a hand. "Lee and Raven, stay behind for a moment. The rest of you are free to go."

Raven blinked. Mrs. Allegro never kept him after before, so for a second, he freaked out, wondering if he'd bombed his last test. But then she motioned to Lee. "Raven, Lee's been struggling with the last few chapters, even with my help."

Lee's face began to glow red from embarrassment.

"I wanted to ask if you would be able to spend some time after school to help him study for this final?" Mrs. Allegro said. "Sometimes, it's easier to grasp equations when it's coming from a peer and not a teacher."

"Uh, I mean, if Lee doesn't mind, I could help," Raven responded. "I have practice from 4-6pm, but I'm free after that. Is 6:30pm-8pm too late for your family?"

"Don't think so," Lee said. "I'll find out and text you—oh, wait, what's your number?"

Raven added his number in as 'Raven the Mido.'

"Ha! You wish you were six-five!" Lee laughed when he saw it. "Guess that makes me the Takao to your Mido."

Raven grinned widely at the reference. The two characters were best friends in the show, but some fans felt they were even closer than that. The very idea of being that close to Lee made his heart skip a beat.

—

Halfway into basketball practice, Raven received a text from Lee that they had the green light for him to visit the Wilsons for an evening study session.

Raven was way too excited to focus on his practice shots after that. Altair didn't hesitate to taunt him about his poor performance, and a ride back was never offered.

Raven chose to ride an Uver to Lee's home and was surprised when the address led to a trailer park. As soon as he stepped out of the car, he saw Lee running over to greet him.

"Hey, you made it! Glad you didn't get lost," Lee greeted. "The fam's over here, starting with my bros Andy and Aditus, along with my sisters Thirdly and Kat."

He led him over to a sizable RV. His four siblings were seated beneath umbrella chairs, game consoles in hand. Their expressions were intense, and Raven realized they were playing the latest Wario Kart game.

"Hey guys, this is Raven," Lee said with a grin. "Raven, meet the monkeys."

"We're not monkeys!" Thirdly shot back, not even glancing up from her screen. "We're apes!"

Lee shook his head and led Raven in. "This is my mom," he said. "Mom, this is Raven, my Algebra hero."

"Great to meet you! My name's Cassie," Lee's mom said, offering a warm handshake. "And over there, setting up the table for you, is my husband, Peter."

"Might be a little cramped in here," Mr. Wilson joked as he straightened up and glanced their way. Raven noticed that Lee had inherited most of his looks from him.

"He's five-six, not six-five," Lee teased, shooting a quick grin at his dad.

"No worries, everything's fine," Raven replied. "Thanks for having me."

Mr. Wilson gave Raven a friendly pat on the head, and Raven blushed, not sure if it was childish to enjoy the gesture. The last time his own dad did that was a distant memory. Heck, recalling the last time his parents came to one of his games was just as difficult.

Lee dug through his backpack for his textbook and worksheets, then dropped down next to Raven, so close their thighs brushed.

Normally, sitting like that wouldn't have bothered Raven, but with his year-long crush on Lee, the tiny contact felt like fire, way more intimate than their usual back-and-forth. Heat traveled up his thigh and lingered, their legs pressed together just enough for Raven to feel the warmth of Lee's skin through the fabric. He had to fight the urge to lean closer, biting back a smile as he forced his attention back to their work.

Lee opened his notebook to the latest page. "Here are my notes with the equations Mrs. Allegro keeps trying to hammer into my brain. If these credits weren't required, I'd honestly just give up. But I keep bouncing between a C and a D."

"Kind of ironic such a nerdish guy is so bad at math," Raven teased.

"What's ironic is the basketball star being such a whiz at math, not the other way around," Lee insisted.

Raven's face fell. "I'm not the basketball star," he refuted. "That title goes to my brother."

"He might be captain, but you're way more talented. If I had even half your skills, I'd have been on the team by now."

"Cane said you'd probably crush it more in football than basketball," Raven said. "Why didn't you ever try out for the football team?"

Lee rolled his eyes. "Being good at football just feels like cheating," he said. "My whole family's always playing together, so it's not like I never played. Plus, the basketball uniforms are just cooler."

"You wanted to play basketball just to wear one of the uniforms?"

Lee gently bumped Raven's shoulder. "Yeah. Well, that was one reason. The other was to get closer to a certain Kuroto fan I met during tryouts."

"You mean we could have been closer long before all this?" Raven asked, his voice softer than he intended, the words trailing off as he caught Lee's gaze and felt a jolt of anticipation. For a second, it felt like the rest of the room faded away, leaving only the magnetic pull between them.

"Part of that's my fault. I thought it'd be weird if I asked Cane to pass your number along to me."

"It wouldn't have been weird." Raven's voice was quiet, his heart beating faster as Lee's knee pressed more firmly against his under the table. The pressure, subtle but insistent, made Raven's breath catch. He shifted just enough to press back, testing the line between accidental and intentional.

"Right. Just picture it, a nervous Cane cornering you after practice to whisper in your ear 'can I get your number?'" Lee said in his best impersonation of Cane's voice. "Then tell me you wouldn't have gotten the wrong idea."

"Good point."

"Besides, maybe it was meant to happen now," Lee added, turning just enough that their faces were only inches apart. Raven could feel Lee's breath, warm and sweet, ghosting across his cheek. "Us getting closer, I mean."

For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. The air between them pulsed, charged with possibilities, as Raven's gaze flicked to Lee's lips and back. The urge to close the gap and taste that warmth was almost overwhelming.

Cassie's voice crashed the moment, making both boys jump away from each other. She grinned. "By 'closer' I'm guessing you guys mean getting closer to graduation. Who was it that I heard putting on an Grammy-nominated dramatic performance after getting a D minus on his last quiz?"

Lee's cheeks flushed. "That was totally valid! I got that grade even after Mrs. Allegro tried to tutor me. Who wouldn't despair then?"

"According to these notes and your returned quiz, you still seem to be struggling with isolating the variable," Raven pointed out. "Do you remember the golden rule of algebra?"

Lee frowned slightly. "The 'both sides need to be equal' thing?"

"Yes, and no," Raven replied. "Whatever you do to one side, you have to repeat on the other side."

He leaned in, dropping his voice like he was telling Lee a secret. "Back in fourth grade, I used to make all the numbers mean something fun. Like, if I needed to build a mini basketball stadium out of ligo pieces, how many blue ones would I need? Yeah, I was that kid."

"Right…" Lee snorted. "Can't believe you've been this much of a math nerd since fourth grade."

"Hey, my parents are accountants, what can I say?" Raven grinned, holding Lee's gaze a second longer than he needed to. "Okay, your turn. What do you have a ridiculous amount of, or collect, that actually matters to you?"

"I've been busting my butt to collect every OneSlice comic book ever released. I've got 110 out of 113. Not that I'm obsessed or anything."

"Okay, so let's say the variables are different OneSlice volumes…"

Their first study session went so well that they lost track of time. At around nine o'clock, Lee's mom had to remind them it was still a school night and they needed to wrap up.

Raven was about to order an Uver home, but Lee's dad offered to drive him instead.

Lee slid into the back, leaving shotgun open for Raven.

As they drove to Raven's house, Lee asked, "Your brother said you had to beat his layout record for a ride? I'm sure you could pull it off."

"If only it were that easy," Raven replied. "Layouts are one of his biggest strengths. Still, I need to find more time to practice for the big game coming up."

"Just don't overdo it," Peter warned from the driver's seat. "I played championship football in high school. Trust me, if you burn out or mess up your knee, it's game over."

"So, what do you actually suggest?" Raven asked.

"Start with sleep. Seriously. Rest and food are everything, especially if you want your brain and body to work," Peter said.

Raven nodded. "Yeah, I'll try my best."

"A strong mind is just as important as a strong body," Peter added. "The most effective mindset is calm and clear. Quick thinking follows when your emotions are steady."

"How do you keep a clear mind when you're in the thick of stress and pressure?" Raven asked.

"Find your own way to stay grounded," Peter replied. "Start with breathing, but always focus on your next priority, whether that's dodging a player or recognizing your limit and taking a break."

"I'll do my best," Raven responded.

"Good," Lee piped up from the backseat. "Then we can totally rub it in your brother's face when you crush it."

"Unlike Lee back there, don't let your feelings run the show," Peter joked. "You can't always control what you feel, but you can choose how you deal. Use distractions, change the subject, whatever works."

"Or, hear me out," Lee said, "just save all your feelings to launch at your brother's face next time he acts like a jerk."

Peter shook his head, grinning. "Are you just here to cause trouble, Lee?" Raven could tell Lee's antics were all in fun.

Watching the Wilsons, Raven felt a weird pang. Lee had a family who was always around, always cheering him on. Meanwhile, Raven's parents were ghosts, and Altair just kept him stuck at the edge of everything.

All too soon, they pulled up at Raven's place. No brother's jeep, just an empty driveway. Raven waved goodbye to the Wilsons, saving his real face for after the door shut behind him.

–

Turns out, the tips Raven picked up from the Wilsons and Peter actually paid off.

Within two months, Peter's advice had given Raven an edge he never expected.

On the court, every pass felt sharper, every movement lighter. Raven played with a new focus that made the crowd lean forward. For the first time, the ball seemed to find him—always in the right place at the right time. The semi-final felt different from the start.

When the buzzer sounded, Raven zipped across the floor, slicing past defenders with sharp, quick moves, his sneakers squeaking beneath him.

"Bran, you're open!" Cane yelled, launching the ball over. Raven snatched it, heart pounding, and charged the basket. He spun past a defender and banked it in, the crowd losing their minds.

Cane sprinted up behind him, hand raised. "Dude, that was sick!"

Raven slapped his palm, grinning. "All you, man."

Altair's voice cut through the noise, sharp and salty. "Try passing it to me next time, Cane. Or is young blood running the show now?"

Cane shot Altair a look. "Maybe he is. You wanna ball? Get open."

Altair's jaw clenched. He stomped up the court, dribbling so hard it felt like he wanted to punch the floor.

From the bleachers, Lee yelled, "Keep kicking ass, Rave!"

Raven shot him a grin and threw up two thumbs.

Raven's next shot was a fadeaway jumper that swished clean.

Lee's voice cut through the gym: "Let's freaking go!"

By the fourth quarter, Raven was the guy everyone wanted to find.

"Bran, corner!" Adam, another team member, hollered.

Raven caught it, let it fly, and nailed a three. Cane whooped, and even the coach cracked a smile.

When the final buzzer sounded, Cane gave Raven a fist bump. "We did it!"

Everyone crowded around, slinging arms over Raven's shoulders, laughter bouncing everywhere. Across the court, Altair stood by himself, jaw locked. Raven caught his eye and gave a half-smile. For once, Altair looked away first.

Lee came flying down from the stands and practically tackled Raven with a hug. "You freaking killed it, Rave! Did you see Altair's face?"

Altair hovered by the bleachers, arms crossed, giving a death glare. As Raven laughed with Cane and Lee, Altair's fists balled up. He stomped off, jaw set, unable to avert his gaze.

Lee tugged Raven close and whispered, "What's eating him?"

Raven shrugged, keeping his tone light. "For once, he's not the center of attention."

Cane grinned. "He'll get over it. We made the final!"

Altair watched them for a moment longer, then turned sharply away, muttering under his breath. That night, it was clear to everyone, especially Altair, that Raven had stolen his spotlight.

—

But the sweetness of victory faded quickly, replaced by a tension that lingered overnight—a hunger that had nothing to do with the game.

The next morning, by the lockers, Lee shouldered through the crowd, eyes bright, waving a paper overhead. "Raven! Look at this!"

He shoved his test right under Raven's nose, their hands brushing. "B-plus! Seriously, I would've failed without you."

Raven leaned back against the lockers, grinning. "I'm expecting dinner. Or at least a burger. Maybe a sundae."

Lee bumped his shoulder, standing just a little too close. "Fries, burgers, whatever...you name it. We could even watch that Haiku movie after, if you're down."

Raven nudged him back, dropping his voice. "Careful, Lee. People might start calling that a date."

Lee's ears went pink, but he held Raven's gaze. For a second, the hallway noise disappeared. His focus narrowed to just Lee, close and a little breathless. "Who says I don't want them to?"

Raven's cheeks went hot. His eyes flicked down to Lee's lips, then back up. "Right. Me too."

Lee shifted, test paper totally forgotten, hand brushing Raven's again. "So, after practice?"

Raven's lips curled. "It's a date."

Across the hall, Altair watched, jaw tight, catching every lingering look and brush of skin.

—

The lights went down for the Haiku movie.

Raven and Lee shared a tub of popcorn, their thighs pressed together in the dark. Every time their knuckles bumped, Raven's heart did a little somersault. Each touch lingered longer than the last, heat zipping up his arm and settling somewhere.

Between bursts of laughter and whispered commentary, Raven's hand found Lee's under the popcorn bucket. Their fingers tangled, awkward at first, then firmer when neither let go. Lee's thumb traced slow circles on the back of Raven's hand, a secret little signal.

They were still holding hands as they headed out, palms warm and a bit sweaty, into the glow of the neon parking lot.

"Can you believe they left out the whole summer training arc?" Lee said, voice low and close, their hands swinging between them. "That was one of the best parts in the manga."

Raven grinned, bumping Lee's shoulder and letting his hand slide down Lee's arm, his fingers trailing Lee's wrist. "Yeah, but the movie was awesome. Did you see that spike in the last match? I swear I got chills."

Lee laughed, but his eyes flicked to Raven's mouth. "Okay, true. But that captain's speech? Way cheesier than the manga."

"I liked it," Raven admitted, a little sheepish. "Sometimes you need cheesy stuff."

Lee rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "Of course you did. Secret softie, huh?" He squeezed Raven's hand, thumb tracing slowly.

Raven nudged him, leaning in so close he caught a hint of Lee's lemongrass scent.

"Only for you, Lee."

Lee's laughter faded as they slowed.

Streetlights threw shadows across Lee's cheekbones. "Is it too soon to ask for a kiss?"

Raven's heart thudded, breath caught at the way Lee looked at him. "Not if you want to."

Lee leaned in, hesitating just long enough for Raven to meet him halfway. Their lips met, soft and a little unsure at first, then deepening as Lee's hand slid up to the back of Raven's neck, gentle but sure. Raven melted into it, arms wrapping around Lee's waist, wanting more.

For a while, the world was just them, the parking lot quiet.

Neither of them saw Altair lurking by the parking lot with his phone out, snapping a quick, silent photo before sneaking away.

–

The next day at school, everything felt different. As Raven got to his locker, the door slammed shut before he could even reach for it.

Adam stood there smirking, arms folded. "Look who finally decided to come out. Didn't think you'd actually have the guts," Adam sneered, slapping a blown-up photo on the locker door. It was Raven and Lee, kissing in the parking lot, taped up for everyone to see.

Raven froze as his mouth went dry. "Where'd you even get that?"

Adam shrugged, grinning. "Does it matter? Pretty sure everyone's seen it by now. Looks like you and Wilson are the new school entertainment."

A couple of other players snickered as they walked by. One muttered, "Didn't know Bran swung that way."

Raven's face burned, ears ringing. He'd only told one person about his plans, the same brother who now wouldn't meet his eyes across the hall. Raven couldn't say anything. Cane barged in, glaring at Adam.

"Back off, man. Don't you have something better to do than act twelve?"

Adam rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Enjoy freak-land." He slouched off, leaving Raven.

Cane threw an arm around Raven's shoulders, blocking the gawkers. "Ignore them, Bran. They'll get over it," he muttered.

Raven managed a shaky smile. "Thanks, Cane. At least someone's got my back."

"Always," Cane said, squeezing his shoulder. "Let's get out of here."

At lunch, Raven found Lee already camped out at the Wilsons' table. Lee slid over, patting the seat next to him.

"Rough morning?"

"You could say that," Raven said, sliding in next to him.

"Altair's a dick. But we're here."

Andy piped up, "Yeah, and if anyone gives you trouble, they have to deal with us."

"Sicking us on them is more than enough punishment," Aditus added.

"Pssh, amateurs," scoffed Thirdly. "The real trick is to sneak jalapeno powder onto his hands so next time he scratches his balls—"

"Isn't that a little extreme?" Kat cut in.

Raven snorted, feeling touched at the support.

—

Present Day: The Ocelots' Final Game

The first whistle had barely faded when Raven tore across the court, sneakers squeaking. He pivoted, faked left, and slid past two defenders. The ball felt like an extension of his arm. He moved on pure instinct.

Later, when Cane was finally subbed in, he wasted no time making an impact.

"Bran, over here!" Cane yelled, cutting toward the basket.

Raven fired a quick bounce pass. Cane caught it, spun, and laid it in. The crowd roared.

"Nice feed!" Cane grinned as they jogged back on defense. "Keep it up!"

Peter's voice echoed in Raven's head: Breathe. Focus. Don't let Altair in your head.

Altair barked from the sidelines, "Stop hogging the damn ball!"

Raven shot him a look. "You're never open."

At halftime, Cane tossed Raven his water bottle. "You're on fire, Bran. Seriously, what got into you?"

Raven flopped onto the bench, breathless and sweat-soaked, grinning. "Just… breathing."

Fourth quarter. Three minutes left. Altair glared. Raven met it, chin lifted, and called for the ball.

Adam yelled, "Corner, Bran!"

Raven sprinted to the arc, caught the pass, and let it fly.

The gym went nuts as the ball swished through the net.

"Freaking finally!" Cane cheered, pounding Raven on the back as teammates mobbed him.

Raven missed Altair's reaction entirely. Surrounded, he felt like the center of the universe.

Cane and the other team members lifted Raven up. Lee was already running down from the stands, waving wildly.

Altair leaned against the doors, arms crossed, jaw like stone. Raven caught the look but didn't back down.

Not that night.

—

Right after their final, a talent scout handed Raven his card. It sat heavy in his pocket all week, making him question his own reality.

After practice, Raven found Altair slouched by the trophy case, arms folded, with an unusually unreadable expression on his face. One quick glance around assured Raven they were alone.

"The great Altair, sulking?"Altair prompted with the rise of an eyebrow.

"Don't flatter yourself. A lucky game or two and you think you're hot shit now?"

Raven's jaw tightened. "Wasn't luck. Maybe you'd get that if you ever watched someone besides yourself."

Altair rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. You played for the scout, not the team. Not for me."

"I didn't even know there'd be a scout. And why would I play for you?" Raven shot back. "You benched me for half the season. Why?"

"I'm not a follower, I'm a leader. Are you?"

"I can be both."

"Likely story."

"I don't need you to believe me, either."

Altair hissed. "Sure. Try not to choke out there."

"Try not blaming others."

A tense silence hung in the air. Deep down, Raven wished his older brother would be more honest with himself and others. He'd idolized him back when they were kids, but had he ever seen the real Altair behind all of the walls he'd built around himself?

Finally, Altair muttered, "Whatever. Get out of my face."

Raven turned with a sigh, ultimately letting something go that he hadn't realized he'd kept so close to his chest, and walked away. They could have shared in the glory and have been better athletes together. But something that required that level of dedication couldn't be forced onto someone.

In the league, there were many other players with the same passion for the sport. So, Raven wasn't truly going to be alone. The scout's card felt a little lighter. He really did want to pursue this for himself, not because of his brother.

–

With each passing week, Raven felt the Wilsons becoming more and more like his own family, especially with Lee always nearby, stealing glances and brushing his hand when no one was looking.

One night at the Wilsons' kitchen table, Raven nervously fiddled with his water glass, sneaking sideways glances at Lee's hand resting close to his. "So, uh, is it alright if Lee and I started dating intentionally?"

For a moment, the room went still. Thirdly and Kat traded pointed looks, fighting back grins.

Lee, close enough that their knees touched, squeezed Raven's hand under the table, his thumb tracing slow, reassuring circles.

Cassie just laughed and pulled Raven into a warm hug. "You're already family. We've just been waiting for you two to figure it out."

Peter raised an eyebrow, but he was smiling. "Just keep your grades up. And if you break his heart, you'll have five Wilsons and a dad to answer to."

Lee snorted. "He's safe, Dad. Promise."

Thirdly piped up, "Does this mean we get to make fun of both of you now?"

"Only if I get to roast you back," Raven shot back, winning a round of laughter.

"Just don't get all kissy at the table," Andy called out.

Lee snorted, cheeks pink. "No promises."

Later that night, Lee pulled Raven outside to the umbrella chairs. The Wilsons were still going hard on Wario Kart inside, but outside, it was just the two of them. Lee laced their fingers together, tugging Raven closer until the warmth between them was undeniable.

"If that wasn't braver than shooting that three in the final..." Lee teased. "I don't know what is."

Raven laughed and leaned down, no rush for Lee to close the distance. When their kiss came, it was gentle at first, slow, simmering. But the moment their hands started to wander, one of Lee's siblings belted out a racy tune from inside the RV. When they peered toward the window, more than one set of eyes was watching.

They immediately let go of one another and took a step back.

"I better get going," Raven admitted. As he headed to the car, Lee caught up, leaping into his arms for another kiss, this one deeper, lingering.

"See you tomorrow, honorary Wilson," Lee whispered, a soft grin lingering on his lips.

For once, Raven felt truly seen. Not just as a basketball player, but as someone who belonged. The Wilsons wrapped him up in the laughter and affection he'd always dreamed of, their home bright with the warmth of the family he'd yearned for.