The Better Man (4/30)
Title: The Better Man
Author: Bhumi
Rating: PG-13 for minor swearing but individual chapters may vary.
Summary: AU- Luke is heartbroken and hopes that a break from his hectic work life and his horrible love life will do him some good. But what he didn’t know is that this one short journey full of fun, laughter and unexpected encounters would change his life forever and would lead him to something he never expected to find.
Disclaimer: I don’t own the boys unfortunately, just in my dreams...
Author's notes: Hi guys! So, this chapter is being posted a little early as I am busy this evening and it is a bit of a filler chapter! Previous chapters are under my authors tag! Feedback and concrit = <3 Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Luke was left dumbfounded, still in shock as he tried to pull his thoughts into coherency. ‘Dr. Oliver kissed me? Oh my god, I have the shittest gaydar ever!’
Still in a daze Luke somehow managed to grab himself a taxi from outside the terminal and passed on an address to the taxi driver. Whilst sitting in the taxi leaving the airport behind he was still trying to recall the whole plane journey, trying to understand what had happened. But all he could think about was the kiss, ‘that kiss’.
He really thought that the guy had hated him, he was an arrogant, rude, egotistical jerk who had put him down, taunted him and made fun of his wealth without the guy even knowing anything about him. He was honest, brutally honest. But then when Luke asked the reason for his attitude he never expected a kiss in reply.
Except now he was gone, he was never going to see the doctor again. But he was unable to get the kiss out of his mind, he was kissed by practically a stranger in public, just thinking about it gave him butterflies in his stomach, his lips still tingling from the soft but firm touch of the redhead’s lips. Luke shook his head trying to concentrate on the reason he was here in London, random hot kisses aside. He was finally going to see Ben after three years, work and life in general had meant that their promise to see each other very soon turned into three years.
Benjamin Moore, a tall brunette, very tall by the way, had a football player’s build, light brown eyes and was Luke’s best friend and flatmate from college. If Luke had to be honest, when he first laid eyes on the tall gorgeous brunette, he really couldn’t believe his luck, but the luck although not the other kind, soon transformed into a lasting friendship.
Originally from England; he had come to America to finish his masters in business. Both hailed from similar backgrounds and so they clicked instantly, both of whom understood the demands of family, the responsibilities that were associated with them and both shared the same love and affection for their families.
Ben thought his family situation was a little fucked up, with his father having 3 wives and at least a child with each of them with a few step-brothers and sisters dotted around the world but when he heard about Luke’s so called family tree, more like an over-grown family vine, impossible to see where it started, ended and joined together, Ben had said in between fits of laughter when he found out. Ben was amazed that Luke could turn out to be so normal and well-adjusted, even after all the shit that he had been through.
Over the year they had lived together they became the very best of friends and even after they had left Columbia they continued to stay in touch through e-mail and phone-calls. They both promised that they would come and visit each other soon, but work and responsibilities got in the way and three long years later they were finally going to see each other for Ben’s wedding to his girlfriend, Ramona, who he had met when he was at university and had been with ever since.
Luke had met Ramona several times when she had come over to visit Ben and so he’d become very good friends with her as well. But her constant efforts, with some help from Ben, to set Luke up with a boyfriend were ventures that weren't ever considered to be successful. Ramona’s matchmaking skills left a lot to be desired, not because she was setting Luke up with awful guys, but the guys just didn’t do anything for him.
Ben always used to tease him, telling him that he acted like a typical girl out of one of those chick-flicks who was waiting for the ‘right guy’, waiting for that kiss that would make his foot ‘pop’ up, but Luke however, took all flack and laughed it off, it’s not that he had never had a boyfriend or never enjoyed himself it was just that he wasn’t one of those guys who believed in messing around with guys that he wasn’t remotely interested in.
Luke wanted that feeling of instant attraction, desire and the want to get to know one another. He thought he had found that in Noah...’No, no thoughts of Noah’, Luke squeezed his eyes shut.
Luke had vowed to himself that after what had happened with him, he would never ever fall for a man so easily ever again.
Luke took a deep breath and opened his eyes, ridding his mind of those memories, they had no place on this trip and he intended to make Ben and Ramona his focus, they deserved all the happiness in the world and he was really looking forward to seeing them after so long even though thoughts of a certain redhead doctor kept creeping into his mind which meant he had to keep shifting himself a little to get comfortable.
***
It took Reid quite some time to find himself a taxi, it didn’t help that groups of families managed to push in front of him and took many of the taxis standing outside the terminal. He really wasn’t in the mood for this.
Running out of patience, he finally managed to grab a taxi pushing past a group of teenagers and he managed to throw his bag onto the seat.
Breathing a sigh of relief he sat down leaning his head on the back of the seat.
“Umm, where are you off to, Sir?”
“Oh crap, hold on one sec...” Reid grabbed his wallet with the address on a slip of paper and handed it over to the driver, “...and can you turn the heating up, it’s freezing!”
The driver muttered something under his breath and started the drive into the city.
Reid hadn’t managed to grab a warm enough coat in his hurry to get to the airport and was now freezing his ass off.
As the taxi became warmer, heat permeating through his body, his thoughts went back to that certain blonde brat who he had left thoroughly kissed at the airport. He didn’t know what came over him except the fact that he wanted to do it.
He had had the urge to just shut him up, to not be accused of something so ridiculous and the only way he saw fit was to kiss him. If he had to be honest it wasn’t only to shut him up; he had wanted to kiss him. He knew that he wasn’t going to see the kid again and seeing as though he had been thinking about doing more than a kiss when he was on the plane, he guessed a kiss would suffice.
He laughed to himself thinking how awful the kid’s gaydar was, how his blonde hair had a life of its own, how he had answered him back calling him an asshole to his face; no one had ever done that before. How he had somehow managed to get him to help a baby with his smile as his only weapon, and those lips, those eyes, his laugh...Reid squeezed his eyes shut and breathed a deep sigh, he was never going to see the blonde again so why dwell.
Instead he concentrated looking out the window noticing that they had already made it into central London. He hadn’t been in London for quite a few years and was looking forward to spending some time to relax a little even though he would miss his work terribly.
Reid was pulled out of his thoughts as the taxi suddenly spluttered to a stop in the middle of the road.
“Oh Christ, what the hell is wrong?”
“The taxi broke down.”
“I know that you idiot and don’t you dare keep the meter running, hurry up and get it fixed otherwise I’m going to go and find myself another taxi.”
Reid rubbed his face with his hands and groaned, this trip was going to be very eventful and not in a good way, not at all.
***
Luke pulled up outside a beautiful townhouse not far from Hyde Park, Luke had guessed as they had driven past, he had been reading up about London just in case he wanted to go sightseeing. The townhouse had two white pillars either side with a small gate which opened up to a set of steps leading up to huge black door.
Luke grabbed his bag out the taxi and passed some money over to the taxi driver thanking him with a smile.
He walked up the steps and knocked on the door but before he had a chance to drop his hand back down, the door swung open.
“Oh my god, LUCIANO!” and Luke was pulled into a big, tight, rib-crushing hug.
“Umm Ben, I know you love me, but I need to breathe if you want me to live,” Luke managed to choke out.
Ben finally let go still holding onto Luke’s arms and grinned down at him.
“I am so so sorry, I was supposed to come and pick you up but I kinda woke up late.”
Luke laughed and patted his arm, “I knew that was gonna happen and that’s why I made my way over here anyway, I thought that by the time I get here, you’re probably either gonna be in bed or about to leave and I was right, as usual.”
Ben ruffled Luke’s hair, “You haven’t changed at all you fuckin’ know-it-all.”
Luke grinned up at him, “Well, neither have you, you’re still awful with your timing, are you gonna let me freeze to death, I thought we were trying to avoid the not dying thing here?”
“Oh shit, yeh, yeh, come on in to my humble abode, home sweet home, my something and I don’t have any other words left” Ben laughed.
Ben picked up Luke’s bag and wrapped his arm around Luke’s shoulder, closing the door, and led him to a large living room and slumped down on sofa while he waited for Luke who was admiring the view outside the huge bay windows.
“Oy Luciano, you can admire the view later, there’s a better view here on the sofa.”
Luke turned around laughing; shaking his head he slumped down on the sofa next to Ben, folding his right leg under himself turning to face Ben.
“You have not changed at all Ben, except maybe put on a few pounds”, Luke said while poking Ben in his stomach.
“Hey, I thought you promised you’d always love me no matter how I look”, Ben pouted.
“Oh my god, Ben, seriously, you really haven’t changed at all, you can’t keep talking to me like this people may get the wrong idea.”
“Who cares? No one but us can understand the depth of our love and you know I would be gay for you anytime you want.”
“You might want to ask Ramona before you switch sides though.”
“Oh, she won’t mind, in fact she would be glad to get rid of me.”
Luke burst into a fit of laughter, he hadn’t laughed in so long and he was so happy to be back in Ben’s company and they were back bantering as if they had never been apart.
“So, how was your flight? No private jet and flying commercial, Luciano, you joined the normal people for once.”
“Oh no, not you as well.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, there was this guy on the plane and he said something similar, but forget about that, I’m so happy I could be here.” Luke smiled.
Ben smiled back, “I’m glad you’re here too, so how are you?”
“I’m fine.”
Ben’s eyes narrowed not convinced whatsoever, he had noticed that Luke looked a little different and not his usual self.
“Luke, seriously, how are you, really?”
Luke took a deep breath, “Ben, I promise, I am fine, tell me how you are, all the plans sorted for the wedding?”
Ben didn’t look convinced but realised that Luke didn’t want to talk about it any longer and set about telling him about the drama that came hand in hand whilst planning a wedding which included an argument about a huge piñata, the decision to either have traditional British food or traditional Spanish food and a debacle with auditions for dancers where one of the dancers broke their leg.
They talked for a good half an hour when Ben realised he hadn’t even offered Luke anything to drink.
“Oh mate, I’m so sorry, do you want anything to drink, tea or coffee, or something to eat?”
“You’re going to make me something to eat, are you serious?”
“Hey, I’ve been living with Ramona for a while now which means I have picked up a few things. Do not underestimate me Luciano, my skills in the kitchen have improved vastly and I can make you anything you want.” Ben declared as he stood up.
“Ok well, let me see how you manage it, I want proof, how do I know that you aren’t gonna just get something out of a packet and bring it here pretending you made it?”
Ben’s eyes dropped to look at the ground and he looked back up at Luke with an awkward smile, “Ok, you found me out, but I will make you something one day Luciano, just not this morning coz I didn’t have time but I ordered in some breakfast for me and for you too.”
Luke chuckled, “Ok, come on lets go, I’m hungry!”
Luke followed as Ben walked into the kitchen which overlooked a small garden with a deck and chairs. The kitchen was spacious with a huge breakfast bar with stools, where Luke took his seat.
Ben walked over to the coffee machine getting mugs out of the drawer for the both of them.
“You want some coffee, Luke?”
“Yes please.”
Ben made himself a coffee and brought both the coffee and a breakfast tray full of an assortment of breakfast items, croissants, rolls, scones with a pot of jam and butter. Luke looked on in astonishment.
“Ben, if I get this kind of service every day, you’re gonna have to turn gay for me, I’m being serious.”
Ben laughed as he sat down, “Anything for you darling, anything for you.”
Just as Ben was about to take a bite out of his buttered roll there was a loud knock on the door. Ben looked at Luke with a confused look on his face but shrugged and quickly took a big bite out of his roll and rushed to the door.
Luke heard the door open and heard loud voices coming from the hallway, he got up deciding to see what the noise was about.
He saw a guy outside the door with his back to him talking to Ben, but the sunlight was casting shadows and so he was unable to see the man’s face but able to hear a little of the conversation.
“Oh for fucks sake, can you go and pay the driver, I didn’t have time to get some money changed.”
“Alright grumpy pants don’t get your knickers in a twist!”
He saw Ben hand some cash over to driver and started pulling the guy into the house whilst holding his bag.
Luke suddenly felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, he forgot that he was supposed to call his parents to let them know he had reached safely, he looked down checking his phone as he saw a text message from his mother asking whether he had reached London safely, he typed a quick message back letting her know that he would call later on.
Luke had absentmindedly walked back in the kitchen momentarily forgetting that someone had arrived, he walked back into the hallway just as Ben had his back to him and was hugging some guy who obviously didn’t want to be hugged, his arms stiff by his side, but Luke was still unable to see his face.
Ben let go and turned to face Luke with a huge smile on his face, “Oh hey Luke, look who surprised me!”
Luke finally saw the man that Ben had been hugging, but it was impossible, it couldn’t be him.
There standing in front of him was the doctor, the doctor who had kissed him at the airport, who he thought he would never see again and now here he was, standing right in front of him.
Luke was frozen with shock, mouth agape.
As soon as Luke saw the redhead’s eyes meet with his own, he knew that he was feeling the same sense of shock that he was feeling right now.
Ben unaware of the tension, dragged the doctor along with him to introduce him to Luke, “Oh yeh Luke, you've never met him, this is the Reidanator...”, the redhead looked up at Ben with an angry look, “...okay okay sorry, Luke, meet Doctor Reid Oliver my cousin bro and Reid, meet my best friend, Luke Snyder.”
Luke couldn’t think, let alone speak and tried to compose himself. Clearing his throat he just stuck his hand out which Reid, with his brow furrowed, took slowly, whilst looking into Luke’s eyes with curiosity. He felt the same spark he did the first time they shook hands, but this time he found it harder to ignore.
As they let go, both took a deep breath trying to calm down their racing hearts.
‘Holy shit!’
Chapter Five