Luke/Reid Fic: "Where the Love Light Gleams," NC-17
Title: Where the Love Light Gleams
Written By: bigboobedcanuck
Category: General
Rating: NC-17
Author's Notes: This is Train? What train? Takes place right about now, Christmas 2010, and is a companion piece to A New Light, which is from Maddie's POV and should be read first. Big thanks to fenwic and mcfeste for the beta help.
When Reid and Katie arrive at Lily’s house (although it’s a given that Holden will be moving back in any time now), Reid smiles, says hello, and positions Katie in the path of the incoming hugs. Ducking to the right, he makes his way to where Luke stands near the door to the kitchen.
“Hey.” He kisses Luke, who appears far too morose for Reid’s liking. Glancing around at the lights, garlands, bows and various other decorations, he says, “Wow, looks like the North Pole exploded in here.”
Luke’s gaze remains focused on the floor. “I was starting to think you weren’t coming.” His tone is flat, and his earlier state of mysterious discontent seems to have returned.
“Of course I was coming. I said I would. I just had to check on a patient, and then Katie needed a ride since Chris is working late and her car’s in the shop.” Katie’s car is actually in her driveway, but it’s only a white lie.
“Yeah, well, you hate Christmas and parties, so I wouldn’t have been surprised if you tried to get out of it,” Luke grumps.
“I don’t hate Christmas. But when you’re a doctor you work a lot of holidays, and when I was a kid Christmas just…”
Some of Luke’s anger seems to fade, and he finally looks at Reid. “What?”
Reid shrugs. “We didn’t celebrate. It was like any other day. Chess practice and studying.”
“No presents?” Luke sounds wounded at the very thought. “No tree, or turkey, or carolling?”
“Nope. It’s really not a big deal. I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Although the food is good.”
Luke gazes at him with the tender, sympathetic expression that usually leads to long kisses and soft caresses. “It is a big deal.” He sighs. “I’m sorry I’ve been so…off today.”
“What’s going on?” Underneath the grousing, there’s a sadness in Luke that makes Reid’s chest tighten.
“It doesn’t matter. Let’s enjoy the party.” He leans into Reid and kisses him lightly. “I think the buffet table is calling your name.”
Reid is happy to play along for now. “Is that what that sound is? I was starting to wonder.”
They make their way to the large table in the corner, where a little girl eyes the spread with a couple Reid assumes are her parents. The girl shakes her head. “No, Daddy. Those meatballs are full of saturated fat.”
Luke laughs and reaches down to give her shoulders a squeeze. “But it’s Christmas, Hallie. Calories and fat don’t count.” He turns to Reid. “Reid, this is Will and Gwen, and their daughter Hallie.”
Reid shakes hands with Will and Gwen before extending his hand to Hallie, who giggles and shakes it. “You’re right, you know,” Reid tells her. “Tons of fat in meatballs.” Grabbing a toothpick, he spears one and pops it into his mouth. “It’s what makes ’em taste so good.”
Will laughs. “We’ve been trying to tell her that. She’s been on this health kick lately and she’s kind of obsessed with fat and calories.”
“Not that we don’t eat healthy food at home! We do,” Gwen hastily adds.
Reid addresses Hallie. “Is that true? Or do they give you ice cream for breakfast?” He leans down and stage whispers. “If they do, they’re the most awesome parents ever.”
Giggling, Hallie shakes her head. “Noooo. We have cereal and fruit for breakfast. Sometimes pancakes on the weekends.”
“With light syrup,” Will notes.
Reid scrunches up his face. “An abomination. Although with enough butter, I suppose it’s passable.”
“Butter is really fattening,” Hallie says solemnly.
“So I’m told. Well, I hope Santa enjoys the glass of skim milk and low-fat carob cookies he’s getting at your place tomorrow night.”
Gwen and Will laugh, and Hallie excitedly asks them what carob is as Reid makes his escape and fills his plate. Back near the kitchen, he savours the meatballs, not to mention a cheesy chicken casserole, roasted potatoes, leg of turkey and lasagna. He and Luke are joined by the young Hughes and a nurse Reid vaguely recognizes from Memorial, along with a dark-haired girl named Maddie who smiles at him a lot.
Luke’s in the middle of explaining a new summer day camp program the foundation is supporting when he abruptly stops, his whole body tensing as his eyes widen. Reid follows his gaze and sighs inwardly.
Since Noah left for LA after telling Luke he didn’t think they could be friends, Reid hasn’t missed him one bit. In his opinion, Luke is a hell of a lot happier, and feels a hell of a lot better about himself when Noah isn’t around.
Luke seems momentarily speechless before exhaling sharply. “I can’t believe he brought him.”
Reid shifts his focus to the man beside Noah, who is currently shaking a frowning Lily’s hand. Longish light brown hair, a smile that oozes smarm even at twenty paces, and a ridiculous striped scarf looped around his neck. Reid swallows his lasagna. “Who is that? Who brought Noah here?”
“No, not Noah. I can’t believe Noah brought him.”
Maddie pipes up. “It’s someone he’s working with. I guess he didn’t think you’d mind.”
“He’s working with him?” Luke’s voice rises up an octave, but Reid can tell it’s not jealousy - it’s anger. Fury, even. Luke’s jaw clenches. “That’s Mason Jarvis, Noah’s old professor.”
The nurse (Ellie? Ali?) leans in close to Luke, clearly shocked. “The professor who hit on Noah? Wow. Well, they’re dating now, so I guess there was something there.”
Luke barks out a terse laugh. “Oh, there was something there. Mason told me himself that he was going after Noah. Not that Noah believed me, even though he knew Mason was completely crossing the line. Mason did everything he could to get between us.”
Noah and Mason approach, and Reid steels himself for a scene. Mason extends his hand to Luke, who simply stares at it. After a moment, Mason chuckles and puts his arm around Noah. “Well, Luke, I was going to say that I hope there are no hard feelings, but I guess that ship has sailed.”
Luke’s smile is thin. “You guess correctly. You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here.”
Noah answers. “Luke, your mom said I could bring my boyfriend.”
“Yeah, I bet she didn’t know who it was though, did she?” Luke doesn’t wait for a reply. “Working together, huh?”
“We needed a script supervisor, and I thought of Mason right away. He helped me so much in the creation of the movie. He was the perfect choice. Besides, it was the least I could do after you and Damian got him fired.”
“He got himself fired, Noah.” Luke’s tone is steely. “By acting incredibly inappropriately with a student. His actions were unacceptable. Everyone else could see that.”
Noah snorts. “Right, and Dr. Oliver here stealing you from me when I was blind wasn’t inappropriate at all.”
Maddie says, “But Noah…” She and Luke’s other friends are all clearly uncomfortable.
Reid bites his tongue and waits a moment to see if Luke wants to handle this himself. Luke shakes his head, smiling incredulously. “I see your memory is as selective as usual. You know what? It’s Christmas, and I don’t want to fight. Enjoy the party. I hope you two will be happy together. I really do.”
With that, Luke stalks into the kitchen. Reid follows, ignoring the fact that Noah is opening his mouth to say something else that will likely be incredibly stupid. Luke stands by the sink, gripping the counter as he breathes deeply. Reid squeezes Luke’s shoulder, but before he can say anything, Noah appears.
“I have the right to move on, too. You can’t expect me to sit around waiting for you to come to your senses, or for him to get bored of you and Oakdale.”
Luke breathes out and turns. “Noah, I never expected you to be waiting. I meant what I said. We’re not right for each other. We will never be right for each other. But I really thought we could be friends. I couldn’t imagine my life without you. Pretty naïve, I guess.”
“You can’t actually be happy with him!” Noah waves his hand dismissively in Reid’s direction. “Luke, I don’t want to see you get hurt. He’ll never love you the way I did.”
A small smile graces Luke’s lips. “You’re right. Reid loves me for who I am. He listens to me. He values my opinions. He treats me like an equal. Like a partner.” Luke takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. “And thanks to Reid, you can see it. You can see everything.”
Noah clenches his jaw. “I guess there’s nothing left to say.”
Sadness flickers across Luke’s face, and he speaks softly. “Goodbye, Noah. I really hope you find everything you’re looking for. Because it’s not me. It never was.” He extends his hand to Reid, and they leave the house, Noah in their wake.
*
Snow falls steadily, a white blanket over the houses and streets, and Reid drives carefully. A silent, contemplative Luke doesn’t notice that they’re not going to Reid’s place until they’re almost at the new house. He blinks back to attention. “Where are we going?”
Turning onto their new street - sickeningly called Homehaven Drive - Reid answers. “To our dream house. I’m amazed you haven’t memorized every nook and cranny of the neighbourhood yet.”
He’s teasing, but Luke doesn’t smile. “Oh, right. You know, I’m really tired. Can we fight over decorating ideas tomorrow?”
Reid pulls into the empty driveway of number twelve and kills the engine. “We do not fight about decorating. We debate. Come on, I want to decide which extra bedroom will be my office.”
This garners a chuckle, at least. “Your office? You have an office at the hospital.”
“And you have one at the shipping company. And the foundation. So clearly you have absolutely no use for another.” Reid gets out and digs the new house key out of his pocket.
“Okay, so neither of us needs an office.” Luke trails behind him into the house, shutting the front door behind them. “But we can always use-” Luke gasps softly, staring towards the back of the house and the soft glow of colourful lights. After kicking off his shoes, he slowly walks to the source, a large Christmas tree in the den.
For a few moments, Luke simply stares. The tree’s lights and star lend warmth to the bare walls and empty room, the decorations and silver icicles glittering. Luke turns to Reid, jaw agape. “You did this?”
“Well, Katie helped. A lot.”
“It’s beautiful,” Luke whispers. He notices the medium-sized rectangular box under the tree, and kneels down. Sitting back on his heels, he picks it up, fingers tracing the red bow that sits on top of the shiny wrapping paper. He looks up at Reid. “Is this for me?”
“I guess Santa was a little early.”
“I thought you didn’t want to do gifts. That Christmas was just a meaningless retail holiday.”
Reid shrugs. “You don’t think so.”
Luke peels off the wrapping paper, taking his time not to tear it, as if it’s something incredibly precious and not three dollars a roll. He opens the lid of the box and pulls out the first mug. It's white, and in black, block letters, reads: Dr. Oliver. The other naturally says Mr. Snyder, and Luke cradles it in his hands.
Reid shifts his weight nervously as Luke’s silence drags out. “You were probably expecting something a little more impressive. It was a stupid idea.”
Eyes shining with tears, Luke looks up, shaking his head. “It’s not stupid.”
“No, you’re not supposed to cry.” Reid kneels beside him and circles his arm over Luke’s shoulders. “They’re just mugs.”
Luke sniffs loudly, swiping at his eyes. He places the mugs side-by-side under the tree. “I never thought I’d have this.”
“A mug of your very own? Well, I’m glad I could make your dreams come true.”
Elbowing him, Luke laughs. But then he grows serious, gazing at Reid with such love that Reid imagines he can feel its warmth. “You have, you know. Made my dreams come true. You’ve made me happier than I ever knew I could be. Even when you’re driving me crazy, it’s so different than it was with him.”
“Good. Because he wasn’t nice to you.” It’s such a woefully inadequate statement, but it’s at the heart of how Reid feels about Noah and Luke’s relationship.
“Seeing him tonight…seeing Mason tonight, it brought me back to those months before the accident. How frustrating it was, how I was just always wrong in Noah’s eyes. No matter what it was about. After the accident, it was ten times worse. And then…” He trails off.
“Then what?”
Luke smiles, reaching up to caress Reid’s face. “Then you.” He presses a lingering kiss to Reid’s lips.
Their kisses quickly turn passionate, and they tug at each other’s clothing until they’re flesh to flesh. Reid’s grateful for the plush carpet as Luke pushes him back against it, straddling him.
They kiss and rub, their hands roaming as they both get hard. As Luke comes up for air, he reaches blindly and pulls over his discarded jeans. He opens his wallet and swears softly. “Do you have anything?”
Reid nods to the tree, and Luke frowns in confusion until he notices the foil packages hanging from a lower branch, and a small tube of lube tucked between two pine sprigs. Laughing, he tears open a condom and rolls it over Reid. After squeezing lube onto his fingers, he reaches behind himself and slides them into his hole.
Reid’s dick twitches at the sight, and his hands skim over Luke’s chest. “So hot,” he murmurs as he watches Luke prepare himself.
“You like that?” Luke’s voice is husky, and his eyelids flutter as he fucks himself deeper with his fingers.
“Yes.”
“I do this to myself when you have to work nights. I come thinking about you.”
With a groan, Reid yanks Luke’s head down for a kiss, his tongue thrusting inside Luke’s mouth. Luke shimmies forward and breaks away, rising up on his knees. The lights from the tree colour Luke’s skin with a warm glow, and as he lowers himself onto Reid’s cock, lips parting with a low moan, he’s beautiful.
Squeezing his ass impossibly tight around Reid, Luke rises and falls with little motions. “Wish I could feel you. Just you,” he mutters.
Their eyes meet, and Reid reaches up to caress Luke’s cheek. He ponders whether this is a reaction to seeing Noah, but as he searches Luke’s open, loving gaze, he knows it isn’t. “We’re both clean.”
Luke nods. “Yes. Checked a couple of weeks ago, just to be sure.” He’s stopped moving now. “But we should probably talk about it…”
“We are talking about it.”
“Do you think…I’ve never done it without one before. But we’re moving in together. We’re committed.”
Reid’s never had sex without a condom either, since he’s never had a relationship last long enough to even consider it. But with Luke, here in their new house, nothing has ever seemed so right.
Doubt flickers across Luke’s face. “Unless you think it’s too fast. I shouldn’t have brought it up, I’m sor-” He stops talking as Reid lifts him up, urging him backwards.
Reid peels the condom off, flinging it aside. “We’re committed.”
Luke leans over, and they kiss deeply, as if sealing the statement. Luke kisses his way down Reid’s neck and chest before swallowing Reid’s cock, his talented tongue swirling around the underside. Reid moans, and then Luke’s impaling himself again, and Reid’s moan becomes a gasp.
The tight heat is incredible, and it’s every cliché he’s ever heard about raw sex and more. As he fills Luke, stretching him, throbbing deeply inside him, Reid feels so connected that it’s a little frightening. But he keeps his eyes glued to Luke’s as Luke makes little whimpers of need through parted lips.
“Oh, God. Reid. You feel amazing. It’s so hot, it’s so…” He trails off, moaning as he begins riding Reid in earnest.
Gripping Luke’s hips, Reid thrusts up into him. “Never knew it could be like this.” He’s not sure if he’s talking about doing it raw, or just sex with Luke in general. It’s the best he’s ever had, and he’s had a lot over the years.
Sweat glistens on their skin, shining blue, red, green, yellow and pink in the light of the tree. Luke braces his hands on Reid’s chest as he bucks, taking Reid in ever deeper. “You’re going to come inside me. Fill me up. Fill me up.” Luke’s panting now, spreading his legs even wider, thighs flexing as he works Reid’s cock.
Reid raises his head and kisses Luke messily, tongues and teeth clashing. “You’re mine. All mine.”
Groaning, Luke chants, “Yes, yes, yes.”
Fingers digging into Luke’s hips, Reid angles up so he strokes Luke’s gland, which makes Luke fairly vibrate as he cries out. He takes Luke’s cock in hand as he thrusts up again, and it only takes three more strokes before Luke is shaking and coming onto Reid’s chest as his back arches, his head tipping back.
The pressure on his dick is incredible as Luke clamps down on him, and Reid shudders as his orgasm nears, his whole body tingling. As Luke shakes with an aftershock of pleasure, he moans, “Come for me.”
Reid does, letting go as the ecstasy crashes over him. Luke gasps along with him as Reid pulses deep inside, shaking as his body empties. As the pleasure ebbs and Reid begins to soften, he doesn’t pull out, but relishes the sensation of being inside Luke with nothing between them. He feels a primal sense of satisfaction at marking Luke in a way.
Luke rests on Reid’s chest, breath hot on the side of his neck. When Reid’s cock starts to slip out, Luke squeezes and sits back up, keeping Reid inside him. A smile lifts his lips, and he brushes a damp lock of hair from his eyes.
“I love you, Luke.” It’s something Reid never thought he’d say. But once he did, in the parking lot of all places, he finds it’s something he enjoys repeating.
Luke exhales a long breath. “I love you.” He glances around. “And I love our house. Our home.”
Leaning up, Reid kisses him. “Me, too. Even if it is in Oakhell.”
Luke grins. “And I love our tree.” He looks at it with a sort of wonder, his face glowing as brightly as the fairy lights. “I know we said we wouldn’t move in until after the holidays, and Christmas Eve is tomorrow and we won’t have any furniture, but…I want to stay here. I want to wake up in our house on Christmas morning.”
Propping himself up on one hand, Reid presses a kiss to Luke’s cheek. “Okay.”
Luke wraps his arms around Reid tightly. For a minute, they simply hold each other. Then Luke’s tongue slides into Reid’s mouth, and he squeezes Reid inside him, circling his hips. As Reid’s cock twitches back to life already, he decides there’s something to this Christmas thing after all.
Written By: bigboobedcanuck
Category: General
Rating: NC-17
Author's Notes: This is Train? What train? Takes place right about now, Christmas 2010, and is a companion piece to A New Light, which is from Maddie's POV and should be read first. Big thanks to fenwic and mcfeste for the beta help.
When Reid and Katie arrive at Lily’s house (although it’s a given that Holden will be moving back in any time now), Reid smiles, says hello, and positions Katie in the path of the incoming hugs. Ducking to the right, he makes his way to where Luke stands near the door to the kitchen.
“Hey.” He kisses Luke, who appears far too morose for Reid’s liking. Glancing around at the lights, garlands, bows and various other decorations, he says, “Wow, looks like the North Pole exploded in here.”
Luke’s gaze remains focused on the floor. “I was starting to think you weren’t coming.” His tone is flat, and his earlier state of mysterious discontent seems to have returned.
“Of course I was coming. I said I would. I just had to check on a patient, and then Katie needed a ride since Chris is working late and her car’s in the shop.” Katie’s car is actually in her driveway, but it’s only a white lie.
“Yeah, well, you hate Christmas and parties, so I wouldn’t have been surprised if you tried to get out of it,” Luke grumps.
“I don’t hate Christmas. But when you’re a doctor you work a lot of holidays, and when I was a kid Christmas just…”
Some of Luke’s anger seems to fade, and he finally looks at Reid. “What?”
Reid shrugs. “We didn’t celebrate. It was like any other day. Chess practice and studying.”
“No presents?” Luke sounds wounded at the very thought. “No tree, or turkey, or carolling?”
“Nope. It’s really not a big deal. I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Although the food is good.”
Luke gazes at him with the tender, sympathetic expression that usually leads to long kisses and soft caresses. “It is a big deal.” He sighs. “I’m sorry I’ve been so…off today.”
“What’s going on?” Underneath the grousing, there’s a sadness in Luke that makes Reid’s chest tighten.
“It doesn’t matter. Let’s enjoy the party.” He leans into Reid and kisses him lightly. “I think the buffet table is calling your name.”
Reid is happy to play along for now. “Is that what that sound is? I was starting to wonder.”
They make their way to the large table in the corner, where a little girl eyes the spread with a couple Reid assumes are her parents. The girl shakes her head. “No, Daddy. Those meatballs are full of saturated fat.”
Luke laughs and reaches down to give her shoulders a squeeze. “But it’s Christmas, Hallie. Calories and fat don’t count.” He turns to Reid. “Reid, this is Will and Gwen, and their daughter Hallie.”
Reid shakes hands with Will and Gwen before extending his hand to Hallie, who giggles and shakes it. “You’re right, you know,” Reid tells her. “Tons of fat in meatballs.” Grabbing a toothpick, he spears one and pops it into his mouth. “It’s what makes ’em taste so good.”
Will laughs. “We’ve been trying to tell her that. She’s been on this health kick lately and she’s kind of obsessed with fat and calories.”
“Not that we don’t eat healthy food at home! We do,” Gwen hastily adds.
Reid addresses Hallie. “Is that true? Or do they give you ice cream for breakfast?” He leans down and stage whispers. “If they do, they’re the most awesome parents ever.”
Giggling, Hallie shakes her head. “Noooo. We have cereal and fruit for breakfast. Sometimes pancakes on the weekends.”
“With light syrup,” Will notes.
Reid scrunches up his face. “An abomination. Although with enough butter, I suppose it’s passable.”
“Butter is really fattening,” Hallie says solemnly.
“So I’m told. Well, I hope Santa enjoys the glass of skim milk and low-fat carob cookies he’s getting at your place tomorrow night.”
Gwen and Will laugh, and Hallie excitedly asks them what carob is as Reid makes his escape and fills his plate. Back near the kitchen, he savours the meatballs, not to mention a cheesy chicken casserole, roasted potatoes, leg of turkey and lasagna. He and Luke are joined by the young Hughes and a nurse Reid vaguely recognizes from Memorial, along with a dark-haired girl named Maddie who smiles at him a lot.
Luke’s in the middle of explaining a new summer day camp program the foundation is supporting when he abruptly stops, his whole body tensing as his eyes widen. Reid follows his gaze and sighs inwardly.
Since Noah left for LA after telling Luke he didn’t think they could be friends, Reid hasn’t missed him one bit. In his opinion, Luke is a hell of a lot happier, and feels a hell of a lot better about himself when Noah isn’t around.
Luke seems momentarily speechless before exhaling sharply. “I can’t believe he brought him.”
Reid shifts his focus to the man beside Noah, who is currently shaking a frowning Lily’s hand. Longish light brown hair, a smile that oozes smarm even at twenty paces, and a ridiculous striped scarf looped around his neck. Reid swallows his lasagna. “Who is that? Who brought Noah here?”
“No, not Noah. I can’t believe Noah brought him.”
Maddie pipes up. “It’s someone he’s working with. I guess he didn’t think you’d mind.”
“He’s working with him?” Luke’s voice rises up an octave, but Reid can tell it’s not jealousy - it’s anger. Fury, even. Luke’s jaw clenches. “That’s Mason Jarvis, Noah’s old professor.”
The nurse (Ellie? Ali?) leans in close to Luke, clearly shocked. “The professor who hit on Noah? Wow. Well, they’re dating now, so I guess there was something there.”
Luke barks out a terse laugh. “Oh, there was something there. Mason told me himself that he was going after Noah. Not that Noah believed me, even though he knew Mason was completely crossing the line. Mason did everything he could to get between us.”
Noah and Mason approach, and Reid steels himself for a scene. Mason extends his hand to Luke, who simply stares at it. After a moment, Mason chuckles and puts his arm around Noah. “Well, Luke, I was going to say that I hope there are no hard feelings, but I guess that ship has sailed.”
Luke’s smile is thin. “You guess correctly. You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here.”
Noah answers. “Luke, your mom said I could bring my boyfriend.”
“Yeah, I bet she didn’t know who it was though, did she?” Luke doesn’t wait for a reply. “Working together, huh?”
“We needed a script supervisor, and I thought of Mason right away. He helped me so much in the creation of the movie. He was the perfect choice. Besides, it was the least I could do after you and Damian got him fired.”
“He got himself fired, Noah.” Luke’s tone is steely. “By acting incredibly inappropriately with a student. His actions were unacceptable. Everyone else could see that.”
Noah snorts. “Right, and Dr. Oliver here stealing you from me when I was blind wasn’t inappropriate at all.”
Maddie says, “But Noah…” She and Luke’s other friends are all clearly uncomfortable.
Reid bites his tongue and waits a moment to see if Luke wants to handle this himself. Luke shakes his head, smiling incredulously. “I see your memory is as selective as usual. You know what? It’s Christmas, and I don’t want to fight. Enjoy the party. I hope you two will be happy together. I really do.”
With that, Luke stalks into the kitchen. Reid follows, ignoring the fact that Noah is opening his mouth to say something else that will likely be incredibly stupid. Luke stands by the sink, gripping the counter as he breathes deeply. Reid squeezes Luke’s shoulder, but before he can say anything, Noah appears.
“I have the right to move on, too. You can’t expect me to sit around waiting for you to come to your senses, or for him to get bored of you and Oakdale.”
Luke breathes out and turns. “Noah, I never expected you to be waiting. I meant what I said. We’re not right for each other. We will never be right for each other. But I really thought we could be friends. I couldn’t imagine my life without you. Pretty naïve, I guess.”
“You can’t actually be happy with him!” Noah waves his hand dismissively in Reid’s direction. “Luke, I don’t want to see you get hurt. He’ll never love you the way I did.”
A small smile graces Luke’s lips. “You’re right. Reid loves me for who I am. He listens to me. He values my opinions. He treats me like an equal. Like a partner.” Luke takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. “And thanks to Reid, you can see it. You can see everything.”
Noah clenches his jaw. “I guess there’s nothing left to say.”
Sadness flickers across Luke’s face, and he speaks softly. “Goodbye, Noah. I really hope you find everything you’re looking for. Because it’s not me. It never was.” He extends his hand to Reid, and they leave the house, Noah in their wake.
*
Snow falls steadily, a white blanket over the houses and streets, and Reid drives carefully. A silent, contemplative Luke doesn’t notice that they’re not going to Reid’s place until they’re almost at the new house. He blinks back to attention. “Where are we going?”
Turning onto their new street - sickeningly called Homehaven Drive - Reid answers. “To our dream house. I’m amazed you haven’t memorized every nook and cranny of the neighbourhood yet.”
He’s teasing, but Luke doesn’t smile. “Oh, right. You know, I’m really tired. Can we fight over decorating ideas tomorrow?”
Reid pulls into the empty driveway of number twelve and kills the engine. “We do not fight about decorating. We debate. Come on, I want to decide which extra bedroom will be my office.”
This garners a chuckle, at least. “Your office? You have an office at the hospital.”
“And you have one at the shipping company. And the foundation. So clearly you have absolutely no use for another.” Reid gets out and digs the new house key out of his pocket.
“Okay, so neither of us needs an office.” Luke trails behind him into the house, shutting the front door behind them. “But we can always use-” Luke gasps softly, staring towards the back of the house and the soft glow of colourful lights. After kicking off his shoes, he slowly walks to the source, a large Christmas tree in the den.
For a few moments, Luke simply stares. The tree’s lights and star lend warmth to the bare walls and empty room, the decorations and silver icicles glittering. Luke turns to Reid, jaw agape. “You did this?”
“Well, Katie helped. A lot.”
“It’s beautiful,” Luke whispers. He notices the medium-sized rectangular box under the tree, and kneels down. Sitting back on his heels, he picks it up, fingers tracing the red bow that sits on top of the shiny wrapping paper. He looks up at Reid. “Is this for me?”
“I guess Santa was a little early.”
“I thought you didn’t want to do gifts. That Christmas was just a meaningless retail holiday.”
Reid shrugs. “You don’t think so.”
Luke peels off the wrapping paper, taking his time not to tear it, as if it’s something incredibly precious and not three dollars a roll. He opens the lid of the box and pulls out the first mug. It's white, and in black, block letters, reads: Dr. Oliver. The other naturally says Mr. Snyder, and Luke cradles it in his hands.
Reid shifts his weight nervously as Luke’s silence drags out. “You were probably expecting something a little more impressive. It was a stupid idea.”
Eyes shining with tears, Luke looks up, shaking his head. “It’s not stupid.”
“No, you’re not supposed to cry.” Reid kneels beside him and circles his arm over Luke’s shoulders. “They’re just mugs.”
Luke sniffs loudly, swiping at his eyes. He places the mugs side-by-side under the tree. “I never thought I’d have this.”
“A mug of your very own? Well, I’m glad I could make your dreams come true.”
Elbowing him, Luke laughs. But then he grows serious, gazing at Reid with such love that Reid imagines he can feel its warmth. “You have, you know. Made my dreams come true. You’ve made me happier than I ever knew I could be. Even when you’re driving me crazy, it’s so different than it was with him.”
“Good. Because he wasn’t nice to you.” It’s such a woefully inadequate statement, but it’s at the heart of how Reid feels about Noah and Luke’s relationship.
“Seeing him tonight…seeing Mason tonight, it brought me back to those months before the accident. How frustrating it was, how I was just always wrong in Noah’s eyes. No matter what it was about. After the accident, it was ten times worse. And then…” He trails off.
“Then what?”
Luke smiles, reaching up to caress Reid’s face. “Then you.” He presses a lingering kiss to Reid’s lips.
Their kisses quickly turn passionate, and they tug at each other’s clothing until they’re flesh to flesh. Reid’s grateful for the plush carpet as Luke pushes him back against it, straddling him.
They kiss and rub, their hands roaming as they both get hard. As Luke comes up for air, he reaches blindly and pulls over his discarded jeans. He opens his wallet and swears softly. “Do you have anything?”
Reid nods to the tree, and Luke frowns in confusion until he notices the foil packages hanging from a lower branch, and a small tube of lube tucked between two pine sprigs. Laughing, he tears open a condom and rolls it over Reid. After squeezing lube onto his fingers, he reaches behind himself and slides them into his hole.
Reid’s dick twitches at the sight, and his hands skim over Luke’s chest. “So hot,” he murmurs as he watches Luke prepare himself.
“You like that?” Luke’s voice is husky, and his eyelids flutter as he fucks himself deeper with his fingers.
“Yes.”
“I do this to myself when you have to work nights. I come thinking about you.”
With a groan, Reid yanks Luke’s head down for a kiss, his tongue thrusting inside Luke’s mouth. Luke shimmies forward and breaks away, rising up on his knees. The lights from the tree colour Luke’s skin with a warm glow, and as he lowers himself onto Reid’s cock, lips parting with a low moan, he’s beautiful.
Squeezing his ass impossibly tight around Reid, Luke rises and falls with little motions. “Wish I could feel you. Just you,” he mutters.
Their eyes meet, and Reid reaches up to caress Luke’s cheek. He ponders whether this is a reaction to seeing Noah, but as he searches Luke’s open, loving gaze, he knows it isn’t. “We’re both clean.”
Luke nods. “Yes. Checked a couple of weeks ago, just to be sure.” He’s stopped moving now. “But we should probably talk about it…”
“We are talking about it.”
“Do you think…I’ve never done it without one before. But we’re moving in together. We’re committed.”
Reid’s never had sex without a condom either, since he’s never had a relationship last long enough to even consider it. But with Luke, here in their new house, nothing has ever seemed so right.
Doubt flickers across Luke’s face. “Unless you think it’s too fast. I shouldn’t have brought it up, I’m sor-” He stops talking as Reid lifts him up, urging him backwards.
Reid peels the condom off, flinging it aside. “We’re committed.”
Luke leans over, and they kiss deeply, as if sealing the statement. Luke kisses his way down Reid’s neck and chest before swallowing Reid’s cock, his talented tongue swirling around the underside. Reid moans, and then Luke’s impaling himself again, and Reid’s moan becomes a gasp.
The tight heat is incredible, and it’s every cliché he’s ever heard about raw sex and more. As he fills Luke, stretching him, throbbing deeply inside him, Reid feels so connected that it’s a little frightening. But he keeps his eyes glued to Luke’s as Luke makes little whimpers of need through parted lips.
“Oh, God. Reid. You feel amazing. It’s so hot, it’s so…” He trails off, moaning as he begins riding Reid in earnest.
Gripping Luke’s hips, Reid thrusts up into him. “Never knew it could be like this.” He’s not sure if he’s talking about doing it raw, or just sex with Luke in general. It’s the best he’s ever had, and he’s had a lot over the years.
Sweat glistens on their skin, shining blue, red, green, yellow and pink in the light of the tree. Luke braces his hands on Reid’s chest as he bucks, taking Reid in ever deeper. “You’re going to come inside me. Fill me up. Fill me up.” Luke’s panting now, spreading his legs even wider, thighs flexing as he works Reid’s cock.
Reid raises his head and kisses Luke messily, tongues and teeth clashing. “You’re mine. All mine.”
Groaning, Luke chants, “Yes, yes, yes.”
Fingers digging into Luke’s hips, Reid angles up so he strokes Luke’s gland, which makes Luke fairly vibrate as he cries out. He takes Luke’s cock in hand as he thrusts up again, and it only takes three more strokes before Luke is shaking and coming onto Reid’s chest as his back arches, his head tipping back.
The pressure on his dick is incredible as Luke clamps down on him, and Reid shudders as his orgasm nears, his whole body tingling. As Luke shakes with an aftershock of pleasure, he moans, “Come for me.”
Reid does, letting go as the ecstasy crashes over him. Luke gasps along with him as Reid pulses deep inside, shaking as his body empties. As the pleasure ebbs and Reid begins to soften, he doesn’t pull out, but relishes the sensation of being inside Luke with nothing between them. He feels a primal sense of satisfaction at marking Luke in a way.
Luke rests on Reid’s chest, breath hot on the side of his neck. When Reid’s cock starts to slip out, Luke squeezes and sits back up, keeping Reid inside him. A smile lifts his lips, and he brushes a damp lock of hair from his eyes.
“I love you, Luke.” It’s something Reid never thought he’d say. But once he did, in the parking lot of all places, he finds it’s something he enjoys repeating.
Luke exhales a long breath. “I love you.” He glances around. “And I love our house. Our home.”
Leaning up, Reid kisses him. “Me, too. Even if it is in Oakhell.”
Luke grins. “And I love our tree.” He looks at it with a sort of wonder, his face glowing as brightly as the fairy lights. “I know we said we wouldn’t move in until after the holidays, and Christmas Eve is tomorrow and we won’t have any furniture, but…I want to stay here. I want to wake up in our house on Christmas morning.”
Propping himself up on one hand, Reid presses a kiss to Luke’s cheek. “Okay.”
Luke wraps his arms around Reid tightly. For a minute, they simply hold each other. Then Luke’s tongue slides into Reid’s mouth, and he squeezes Reid inside him, circling his hips. As Reid’s cock twitches back to life already, he decides there’s something to this Christmas thing after all.