Fic: Perception 17/?
Author: PABWECG (aka Patricia)
Title: Perception
Genre/Type: Romance, Period fic
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Reid, Lily/Holden, Casey, Katie, Maddie, and Henry, amongst others
Warnings: Nope
Summary: The year is 1898; Luke lives on Snyder farm, and Reid is a doctor in Chicago; you’ll figure the rest out.
Big thanks, again, to Slayerkitty, for being my beta!!!
Previous Chapters: 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/
Chapter 17
His mother ran her fingers lightly through the hair at his forehead and down to touch his chin. Taking his hands in her own, she kissed him on the cheek.
“Have a good few days, Luke. I hope it’s everything you could want.” Turning to Reid, she added, “Thank you so much for everything.”
He nodded.
“We have to go, Lily. So we don’t miss the train.” His father kissed his mother. “It’ll only be a few days.”
“I know.”
“It’s okay, Momma.” Luke hugged his mother, understanding. This visit to the University of Chicago might only be for a few days, but he knew she was anticipating his probable acceptance. And then it would be a few years. And the separation from his family would be a difficult one - no matter how good it was.
The three men rode the train, each with their separate thoughts.
Holden was feeling the rightness of this. His son seemed nervous, but excited - like he was seeing a new horizon. It wouldn’t have been his cup of tea, but it would have been for Lily, if women had had such opportunities twenty-five years ago, and it seemed definitely to be Luke’s. His son was gazing out the window, partly watching the terrain go by, and partly in another world, a small smile on his face. Luke turned slightly to look at Reid, sitting beside him, and Holden saw the two of them share a smile. And again he felt that sense of rightness; he was so glad the young doctor had come into his son’s life. There seemed to be an unspoken connection between them. His son seemed lighter, brighter - more alive - ever since this new friendship. And he knew that Reid had played an important part in encouraging Luke to take this step. He was sure that the two would miss each other very much should Luke make the decision to attend in the fall.
Luke suddenly pointed to something out the window, showing Reid, and he quietly spoke something that made the doctor laugh silently. He then went back to viewing the scenery, and Reid to his journal. And Holden smiled once more to see the easy friendship, and his son so happy.
Reid was only paying half-attention to his journal; his focus was more closely on Luke and what all this must be meaning to him. It must feel so huge - going to university, living in the city. One moment his eyes would light up, whether from something he saw outside the train window or from some thought or anticipation; the next moment Reid would see worry creep across Luke’s features. He almost reached out and took Luke’s hand at one point, but he stopped himself.
Mostly, he averted his gaze from Luke - he’d learned long ago not to look. Everybody like him learned that lesson at a fairly young age. Women he could look at, not men. But he was keenly aware of Luke’s shifting moods, despite his averted gaze.
“Reid.”
Luke’s voice lifted Reid’s eyes from his journal.
“Will you come with me on the campus tour? Tomorrow morning?” Luke turned to take in Holden as well. “It’ll all be new to my father and me, and I don’t know if you had other plans, friends to see, but…”
“I’ll come,” he said.
“If you want.”
He simply nodded with an almost-smile at Luke.
“What are the plans for this evening, Luke” Holden asked.
“Nothing at the school, but Aaron plans to take us all out for dinner.” He said. “Once we’ve had a chance to settle in.”
Luke would be staying at the dormitories with the other visiting, potential students; Reid and Holden were being put up - and very proudly so - by the oldest Snyder son.
Luke looked out the window at the passing terrain, and thought back to a week ago, when he’d received the letter asking him to please to come, despite the short notice, to the three-day event, introducing students and potential students to the very new school. His parents were very happy for him, and his first thought had come right out.
“I wonder if Reid would come.”
“Why don’t you ask him?” Holden replied.
And so he had, the very next day. Reid had hesitated at first.
“Oh, right…you have to work…of course.” Luke said, embarrassed.
“No,” Reid said. “It’s not that. I just wasn’t expecting you to ask.”
“Do you think you could get away this quickly?”
“I honestly don’t know. I’ll ask Dr. Hughes.”
Luke nodded. “Um…do you want to come?”
Reid nodded and smiled at him. “I’m so happy for you, Luke.”
They had been having a quick lunch at the pub. They’d sat across from each other, holding each other’s gaze, their hands itching to meet.
Now, here the three of them were, and from the look of the scenery they must be getting close; the trees were further and further apart, and the buildings closer together and taller.
Arriving, they went straight to the school, dropped of Luke, met his “roommate”, and then Holden and Reid headed off to Aaron’s place, with plans to come back in two hours to pick up Luke for dinner.
“Dad! You’re here, good. You made it.”
Aaron hugged his father, and then took Reid’s hand. “Dr. Oliver, how was the journey?”
“It was fine, Aaron. Thank you.”
“Good, good. Here, let me take your things.” He took their bags and walked through the small living room. “I hope you don’t mind doubling up.” His voice called out from the bedroom. He came back out. “I’ll take the sofa. It’s rather lumpy.”
“Oh, that’s fine,” Holden said.
Reid just nodded.
Aaron got them each a glass of lemonade and they sat together, Holden and Aaron doing most of the talking, catching up. Aaron asked Reid about his plans for the next few days and discovered that the doctor was planning to visit a few professional acquaintances, but for the most part, he’d planned to spend his time with Luke.
Before long they washed up and dressed for dinner; then they set to walk back to Luke’s. It was a beautiful evening and so when they arrived they found Luke out front speaking with another young man. He looked beautiful in his dress shirt, his dress pants, and tie. Luke was smiling, listening to the other fellow, unaware of the approaching party. Reid took this unobserved opportunity, and allowed his eyes to travel slowly over Luke. God, he was beautiful. Luke suddenly turned and saw them. Turning back to the young man, they shook hands and parted, Luke heading their way. As he came closer, Reid saw Luke give him the quickest once-over before embracing his brother.
They walked on comfortably, on the warm summer evening, until they came to a place that Aaron had chosen. Its atmosphere was easy and the aromas delicious. They ordered drinks and food; Bread and butter was brought out, and soon conversation was centered on Luke and this weekend, his hopes and plans.
Reid mainly watched and listened, as the three Snyders fell into an easy banter, full of the affection born of years of good living together. It had been a long day for the three travelers and before long, they walked Luke back to campus and said good night. They each gave Luke a hug goodnight, and for that easy Snyder affection Reid was very grateful, for it gave him the opportunity to hold Luke, however briefly. It was just for a couple seconds but still, he felt Luke’s hand on his waist, the other on his back, and he heard his voice whisper, “Sleep well” in his ear before Luke’s strong arms released him.
Lying in bed beside Holden that night, Reid realized that it was the first time in years that he’d fallen asleep beside another human being - not since that time he and Charles had fallen asleep, but they had been drunk. This night it felt strange; he was comfortable with Holden, but there was another Snyder he wished was beside him - and even more strange, the desire for Luke’s body was not primarily sexual, not tonight. He longed for Luke’s arms, his breath and voice, his presence.
next part/
Title: Perception
Genre/Type: Romance, Period fic
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Reid, Lily/Holden, Casey, Katie, Maddie, and Henry, amongst others
Warnings: Nope
Summary: The year is 1898; Luke lives on Snyder farm, and Reid is a doctor in Chicago; you’ll figure the rest out.
Big thanks, again, to Slayerkitty, for being my beta!!!
Previous Chapters: 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/
Chapter 17
His mother ran her fingers lightly through the hair at his forehead and down to touch his chin. Taking his hands in her own, she kissed him on the cheek.
“Have a good few days, Luke. I hope it’s everything you could want.” Turning to Reid, she added, “Thank you so much for everything.”
He nodded.
“We have to go, Lily. So we don’t miss the train.” His father kissed his mother. “It’ll only be a few days.”
“I know.”
“It’s okay, Momma.” Luke hugged his mother, understanding. This visit to the University of Chicago might only be for a few days, but he knew she was anticipating his probable acceptance. And then it would be a few years. And the separation from his family would be a difficult one - no matter how good it was.
The three men rode the train, each with their separate thoughts.
Holden was feeling the rightness of this. His son seemed nervous, but excited - like he was seeing a new horizon. It wouldn’t have been his cup of tea, but it would have been for Lily, if women had had such opportunities twenty-five years ago, and it seemed definitely to be Luke’s. His son was gazing out the window, partly watching the terrain go by, and partly in another world, a small smile on his face. Luke turned slightly to look at Reid, sitting beside him, and Holden saw the two of them share a smile. And again he felt that sense of rightness; he was so glad the young doctor had come into his son’s life. There seemed to be an unspoken connection between them. His son seemed lighter, brighter - more alive - ever since this new friendship. And he knew that Reid had played an important part in encouraging Luke to take this step. He was sure that the two would miss each other very much should Luke make the decision to attend in the fall.
Luke suddenly pointed to something out the window, showing Reid, and he quietly spoke something that made the doctor laugh silently. He then went back to viewing the scenery, and Reid to his journal. And Holden smiled once more to see the easy friendship, and his son so happy.
Reid was only paying half-attention to his journal; his focus was more closely on Luke and what all this must be meaning to him. It must feel so huge - going to university, living in the city. One moment his eyes would light up, whether from something he saw outside the train window or from some thought or anticipation; the next moment Reid would see worry creep across Luke’s features. He almost reached out and took Luke’s hand at one point, but he stopped himself.
Mostly, he averted his gaze from Luke - he’d learned long ago not to look. Everybody like him learned that lesson at a fairly young age. Women he could look at, not men. But he was keenly aware of Luke’s shifting moods, despite his averted gaze.
“Reid.”
Luke’s voice lifted Reid’s eyes from his journal.
“Will you come with me on the campus tour? Tomorrow morning?” Luke turned to take in Holden as well. “It’ll all be new to my father and me, and I don’t know if you had other plans, friends to see, but…”
“I’ll come,” he said.
“If you want.”
He simply nodded with an almost-smile at Luke.
“What are the plans for this evening, Luke” Holden asked.
“Nothing at the school, but Aaron plans to take us all out for dinner.” He said. “Once we’ve had a chance to settle in.”
Luke would be staying at the dormitories with the other visiting, potential students; Reid and Holden were being put up - and very proudly so - by the oldest Snyder son.
Luke looked out the window at the passing terrain, and thought back to a week ago, when he’d received the letter asking him to please to come, despite the short notice, to the three-day event, introducing students and potential students to the very new school. His parents were very happy for him, and his first thought had come right out.
“I wonder if Reid would come.”
“Why don’t you ask him?” Holden replied.
And so he had, the very next day. Reid had hesitated at first.
“Oh, right…you have to work…of course.” Luke said, embarrassed.
“No,” Reid said. “It’s not that. I just wasn’t expecting you to ask.”
“Do you think you could get away this quickly?”
“I honestly don’t know. I’ll ask Dr. Hughes.”
Luke nodded. “Um…do you want to come?”
Reid nodded and smiled at him. “I’m so happy for you, Luke.”
They had been having a quick lunch at the pub. They’d sat across from each other, holding each other’s gaze, their hands itching to meet.
Now, here the three of them were, and from the look of the scenery they must be getting close; the trees were further and further apart, and the buildings closer together and taller.
Arriving, they went straight to the school, dropped of Luke, met his “roommate”, and then Holden and Reid headed off to Aaron’s place, with plans to come back in two hours to pick up Luke for dinner.
“Dad! You’re here, good. You made it.”
Aaron hugged his father, and then took Reid’s hand. “Dr. Oliver, how was the journey?”
“It was fine, Aaron. Thank you.”
“Good, good. Here, let me take your things.” He took their bags and walked through the small living room. “I hope you don’t mind doubling up.” His voice called out from the bedroom. He came back out. “I’ll take the sofa. It’s rather lumpy.”
“Oh, that’s fine,” Holden said.
Reid just nodded.
Aaron got them each a glass of lemonade and they sat together, Holden and Aaron doing most of the talking, catching up. Aaron asked Reid about his plans for the next few days and discovered that the doctor was planning to visit a few professional acquaintances, but for the most part, he’d planned to spend his time with Luke.
Before long they washed up and dressed for dinner; then they set to walk back to Luke’s. It was a beautiful evening and so when they arrived they found Luke out front speaking with another young man. He looked beautiful in his dress shirt, his dress pants, and tie. Luke was smiling, listening to the other fellow, unaware of the approaching party. Reid took this unobserved opportunity, and allowed his eyes to travel slowly over Luke. God, he was beautiful. Luke suddenly turned and saw them. Turning back to the young man, they shook hands and parted, Luke heading their way. As he came closer, Reid saw Luke give him the quickest once-over before embracing his brother.
They walked on comfortably, on the warm summer evening, until they came to a place that Aaron had chosen. Its atmosphere was easy and the aromas delicious. They ordered drinks and food; Bread and butter was brought out, and soon conversation was centered on Luke and this weekend, his hopes and plans.
Reid mainly watched and listened, as the three Snyders fell into an easy banter, full of the affection born of years of good living together. It had been a long day for the three travelers and before long, they walked Luke back to campus and said good night. They each gave Luke a hug goodnight, and for that easy Snyder affection Reid was very grateful, for it gave him the opportunity to hold Luke, however briefly. It was just for a couple seconds but still, he felt Luke’s hand on his waist, the other on his back, and he heard his voice whisper, “Sleep well” in his ear before Luke’s strong arms released him.
Lying in bed beside Holden that night, Reid realized that it was the first time in years that he’d fallen asleep beside another human being - not since that time he and Charles had fallen asleep, but they had been drunk. This night it felt strange; he was comfortable with Holden, but there was another Snyder he wished was beside him - and even more strange, the desire for Luke’s body was not primarily sexual, not tonight. He longed for Luke’s arms, his breath and voice, his presence.
next part/