The Butterfly Effect 5/?
Hey, guys! It's been forever since I've been able to update this fic...had some beta issues with font and being able to see her corrections and such. XD I've had this done since November, but I hope you can enjoy the chapter all the same! Comments, as always, are appreciated and loved!
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4
The Butterfly Effect 5/?
Author: moonchilddj
Characters/Pairings: Luke, Reid, OCs, Casey/LuRe, mentionings of Nuke
Rating: R/NC-17
Summary: AU-ish. When the breaking of one relationship sends him running from Oakdale, can the new face of another man put Luke’s heart back together?
Beta: Paris11--thank you for cleaning the fic up as efficiently as you do!
Disclaimer: As much as I wish the boys were mine, I sadly don’t own them, or any character mentioned from ATWT. The fic and the OCs, quirky as they are, are mine. For the entertainment of LuRe fans only!
Author’s Note: Oh my gosh…it seems that my muse is back on track, people! After almost a year of having it be on hiatus, Chapter 4 and 5 were finished within a few weeks of each other! I’m going to immediately start on 6, before my luck runs out. XD Apologies for the wait for this chapter, it hadn’t been posted as quickly as I would’ve liked. =p Thank you all for your kind comments and words of encouragement! I wouldn’t know what to do without you. <3 I’m so glad you all still care for this fic, and I hope you stick around for more of it! Enjoy the chapter!
------
He had never been one for dancing. Not because he couldn’t. He was good at more things than just being a neurologist or playing chess. He just hadn’t had the incentive to want to dance, or the urge to possibly make a fool of himself with a partner. But as Reid danced a couples’ dance with Luke, listening to him laugh, taking in his flushed cheeks and shining eyes, he thought that maybe there was something to it, after all. The feel of Luke’s warm body, pressed against his own, the electric touch of hand to hand…he liked it. Surprise, surprise.
Reid could feel himself grinning when the song and the dance had ended. He twirled Luke back into him, catching him when he swayed dizzily into him.
“How was that, Luke~?” he drawled as Luke let out a carefree laugh.
“Oh my god.” Luke breathed, chuckling as he wrapped his arms around Reid’s neck. “Is the room still spinning? I need water, now! That was amazing! Nerve-wracking, but I’ve never danced like that with someone! How did we not trip each other up or get our legs tangled?”
“Luck.” Reid smirked at him as he gazed into the mirthful brown eyes. “And you had a partner that knew what he was doing to prevent a collision, naturally.”
“Of course.” Luke grinned at him, before happily following him back to their booth, flushed and out of breath. “Are all dances like that?”
“Of course not. Just the really fun ones.” Reid replied with a wink, guiding Luke back into his seat and making sure he didn’t fall down in the process. “I take it that you don’t have dancing like that, back where you come from.”
“No way.” Luke laughed as he collapsed with a sigh, grabbing his water and taking two or three hearty gulps, almost emptying the bottle altogether. “Sure, there’s certain theme nights at Metro, but nothing like that. I guess everything’s bigger in Texas?” he teased as Reid nearly choked on a mouthful of semi-warm cheese stick, chuckling to himself.
“Maybe so~” he teased back around his mouthful. “You’re really sheltered. We’re gonna have to fix that.”
Luke leaned closer to him, not even minding he was talking with his mouth full. It was cute, in a way that only Reid seemed to accomplish. “You’re welcome to try.” he whispered against his ear, grinning when those blue eyes burned at him. It was arousing, the way those eyes focused on him, as if he were the only one in the whole club. He could get used to it easily.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Reid hummed as he swallowed. Did the room just amp up in heat, or was it just him? He flicked his gaze along the younger man’s body, how it had moved to press up against him, and growled under his breath. Definitely him, considering the gorgeous young man plastered up against his side. He felt a bit proud, seeing the other envious looks from nearby men that wanted to be in his place. Tough luck for them. “Mm, I suppose you’ll have to go back up soon?” he asked as the blond sighed.
“Unfortunately.” Luke smiled. “Though I’d rather stay here.”
“Ditto.” Reid murmured as his eyes roamed over him. “Well, I’ll just have to claim you from all your admirers when you get back down. Seat’s just for you.” Luke Snyder was someone special. Someone he kinda wanted to get into a relationship with, despite all his grumblings about not doing relationships. How scary was that? He could feel nerves slide through him, but then they eased when Luke leaned forward and kissed him. It was impulsive and sweet, with a little bit of sass as he felt Luke’s hands tangle into his hair.
He was left a little bit dazed as he gazed into Luke’s eyes when the kiss was broken, feeling something give way inside him when Luke beamed at him.
“See you later?”
“Uh? Yeah. Okay.”
Luke laughed softly at the dazzled expression on Reid’s face, before he kissed him again, just because he could, and he liked that dazzled expression, just for him.
“See you then.” he whispered, before he slid back out of the booth and walked out with a wave to him, disappearing into the crowd.
Feeling a little foolish, as if the rest of his world had just walked out with Luke, Reid shook himself, and polished off half of the boat of cheese sticks. “Get yourself back in line, bonehead.” he grumbled to himself. “You’re old enough to know better.” But his heart wasn’t listening to his head. He couldn’t wait to see Luke again, and the quickened pounding of his heart only convinced him of it.
------
It had appeared that Rick had been doing some quick-fix work while Luke was off enjoying himself with the handsome doctor. As he headed back to his post, he found poles rigged up in the middle of the dancing platforms, and he knew enough about adult bars back home to glance to his employer with a blush. Rick laughed.
“Now, now, I’m not expectin’ THAT kind of entertainment!” he guffawed, his body shaking with mirth. “What’d I say, Luke, only good clean fun with a bit of sass! You ever dance with this sorta thing?”
“No, sir.” Luke murmured. “I’ve seen it, you know, on tv and all. That’s about it.”
Rick tilted his head at him, considering the young man for a moment, in among the throng of admirers around them. “I think you’ll do just fine, Luke.” he replied with a wide smile. “You seem to make the crowd happy doin’ just what you do, an’ I expect even this will have them whoopin’ and hollerin’!”
“You think?” Luke asked as he glanced back in the direction where he’d left Reid. Would the other man like it, too? Surely he’d seen people with more experience in this sort of thing…what if he wasn’t impressed?
“I know so.” Rick nodded firmly, rocking back and forth on his boot heels with a grin. “Ain’t nobody that can resist a good-lookin’ boy havin’ a good time!” He saw Luke glancing back over his shoulder, and smirked knowingly. “’Specially that fine-lookin’ gent you’ve got hangin’ onto your every move and look.”
Luke snapped his head back around, grinning sheepishly when Rick laughed again. “I really am transparent, aren’t I?”
“Only ‘cause you’re kinda sweet on him.” Rick chuckled. “So go on, shake it for him. I’m sure the boy won’t be complainin’ none!”
“If you say so…” He was a little worried he’d be making a fool of himself, but Rick seemed to have the utmost confidence in him. There must be something to it, right? He squared his shoulders and climbed up onto the platform, hearing the whistles and cheers of approval from their fan base as he and the other dancer climbed up. He grinned across the way to the other man, and exchanged nods with him. Here goes everything.
The normal music and dancing quieted down, all the attention drawn to the platforms as the speakers kicked on with a rollicking beat with a good, baseline drum that had the dancers tapping their toes and swaying their hips.
‘Hey, girl, go on now!
You know you got everybody lookin’…
Got a little boom in my big truck
Gonna open up the doors and turn it up
Gonna stomp my boots in the Georgia mud
Gonna watch you make me fall in love
Get up on the hood of my daddy’s tractor
Up on the tool box, it don’t matter
Down on the tailgate
Girl, I can’t wait
To watch you do your thing
Shake it for the young bucks sittin’ in the honky-tonks
For the rednecks rockin’ ‘til the break of dawn
The DJ spinnin’ that country song
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon
Shake it for the birds, shake it for the bees
Shake it for the catfish swimming down deep in the creek
For the crickets and the critters and the squirrels
Shake it to the moon, shake it for me, girl
Aw, country girl, shake it for me
Girl, shake it for me
Girl, shake it for me
Country girl, shake it for me
Girl, shake it for me
Girl, shake it for me’
**
Having moved from the table, once the crowd had thickened around the platforms, his jacket slid into the booth to save the space, Reid moved into the crowd, and was presently glad that he was wasn’t holding anything, nor drunk, because watching Luke sashay above them would’ve knocked him clean off of his feet.
He tried to pull his jaw off of the floor as he watched Luke swirl around the platform, holding onto the pole in the middle, splay his legs and draw his hands up over his hips, over his torso, then above his head as those black leather-clad hips swayed to the beat of the song. He had about as much luck with that as he did trying to get comfortable in his own jeans, which was practically nil.
This was a man that had never danced professionally before? Forget Chippendales, he could beat them out of the water altogether. Reid licked his lips, entranced by the gorgeous blond that had seemed to forget his reluctance to go back to the dancing platforms, and let his eyes wander down over that lithe body. Maybe he ought to follow Luke back to his place after all. He shook himself and his breath hissed in a soft wheeze when Luke swirled around the pole, those long legs wrapped around it.
“Holy hell…” he muttered under his breath, before he joined the appreciative audience’s cries and put two fingers to his lips, blowing a shrill whistle that floated up to the young man as he danced.
**
Apparently, he wasn’t doing too bad after all. Luke smiled to himself as he heard the calls from below the platform, and hooked his boot heels into the middle ring that kept the pole stationary, climbing onto it and rocking his body to the song that encouraged shaking it, hips thrusting out as he pumped his fist over his head and sang along. He could hear the echo of the men’s voices, and he grinned, wondering if a certain doctor was in amongst that throng.
Sashaying his hips, he leapt up and swirled his legs around the pole again, and spun down until he could reach the platform. He threw his whole heart into the performance as his hips moved, resting a hand along his leather-clad thigh as he walked down the line of the platform with more sexuality and appeal than a normal dancer in less clothes. His hips swayed like a pendulum before he stopped, gripping the edge of the platform railing as he looked out.
Ah. There he was. Luke smiled as he caught sight of Reid, and pointed to him as he rocked against the platform with a thrust of his hips, singing along.
‘Now dance, like a dandelion
In the wind on the hill underneath the pines
Yeah, move, like the river flows
Feel the kick drum down deep in your toes
All I wanna do is get to holdin’ you
And get to knowin’ you
And get to showin’ you
And get to lovin’ you
‘Fore the night is through
Baby, you know what to do’
**
Reid groaned under his breath when Luke’s eyes seemed to find his, even among the crowd. They were dark with enthusiasm, with pleasure, and he found himself wondering what they would look like in the height of passion. That lithe body, the skin shiny with sweat, that delectable mouth calling his name…
He was sure that he wasn’t the only man daydreaming about just such a thing, but lucky him, Luke seemed to have set his sights on him. As he watched Luke’s hips swivel as he kicked back into the dance, hands bracing on the platform so that his back arched, he let out a flustered sigh and pushed his hand through his hair. It was as obvious as anything that Luke welcomed his attentions, and even though quick and dirty was usually the name of the game with no strings attached, he didn’t want to treat Luke like that. Was there a balance between something fun and passionate, and serious without hurting anyone, and maybe with the promise of more? He’d never tried.
Blue eyes lifted up to Luke again, and he licked his lips as he watched Luke’s spine arch back as he held onto the pole in the middle of the platform with the end of the song. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he certainly wanted to find out. He joined with the audience in letting his appreciation be known over the dancers’ performance, and then slithered through the crowd, until he could reach the end of the platform. It was his arm that took Luke’s as he stepped off, a little wobbly, a little flushed.
“Keep dancing like that, and you’re going to have the ambulance in with people needing to be carried out from heat exhaustion from your sheer hotness.” he drawled, smirking at him.
Luke laughed at that, eyes shining as he warmly welcomed the steady hand, wrapping his own arm around his. “Well, thank you, I think! I wouldn’t want anyone passing out because of me, but the thought is appreciated!” he replied breathlessly, grinning an ear to ear smile that had both dimples pinging out. “I don’t even know where half of that comes from, it’s not like I’ve danced that way before. But I just have fun, and I want to impress…” He glanced at him from under his lashes coyly. “So, did I?”
“Hm…” Reid murmured, drawing out the moment until Luke snorted and punched his arm lightly. “Hell, yeah.” he told him with a grin, before he drew him in with a tug of his arm, and kissed him soundly.
“Whoa…warn a guy when you do that…” Luke murmured, feeling the tingle all the way to his toes as he gazed at him, licking his lips.
“Why? Seeing you flustered is worth the surprise.” Reid smirked as he escorted him back to their booth. “Hm, more water for you, I think. Wouldn’t want you getting dehydrated. Doctor’s orders.”
“I feel better already.” Luke grinned as he slid into the booth with Reid. He hadn’t missed the stroke of Reid’s hand against his back, down to his rear, and he bit his lip with a smile to himself. If he liked the way his body looked in the leather, his mission had been a success. “Mm, two or three more of this…I hope my legs survive.” he laughed, before he gasped when his leg was tugged up into the other man’s lap. “Reid, what…”
“Don’t tell me you’ve never had a massage?” Reid murmured with an arch of a brow. “You should consider yourself very lucky. I don’t do this for just anyone.” he replied as he started to massage Luke’s leg, from his thigh, down to his calf. “Considering how packed the bar is tonight, you’re going to get your money’s worth. Maybe…you’d be interested in a full body massage later?” he suggested as he gazed at him intently.
Luke’s breath left him in a rush. First Reid’s firm, but gentle touch on the thumping muscles in his leg, then the suggestion of more later? Where did he sign up? He gazed in astonishment, then pleasure when Reid flagged down a waiter to make another order for water, and threw in two burgers, to keep Luke’s strength up. “I’d be a fool to say no to an offer like that, and my mom raised me better than that.” he replied with a cheeky grin after the waiter had left. “But Reid, are you sure? The last time, when I asked you…”
“I’m asking, this time, so I’m more than interested.” Reid replied. “Probably more than I should be, but…” Digging his fingers into the calf muscles gently, he gazed at him again. “We don’t have to do anymore than you want to, Luke. But there is…I mean…there’s something…about you that I want to savor, for as long as I have it, if you’ll let me.” he muttered, aware that he was sputtering a little, as his nerves got the better of him. He probably would’ve sputtered some more, but then Luke’s hands moved, cupping his cheeks in his hands as his eyes met Luke‘s eyes.
“I feel the same way.” Luke told him with a smile. “I’m not the type of person to have some kind of fling with anyone, and I…get the idea that you have before.” He placed a thumb over Reid’s lips when he would’ve spoke. “Everyone works in different ways, Reid. That you even want to spend time with me, not necessarily in a fling, means that you’re a pretty good guy. I’ll take you up on that offer, after I get done with my shift? No strings, no promises, just you and me, going…wherever we want to go.”
Reid sighed quietly after Luke had let go of his mouth, feeling relieved that Luke hadn’t taken offense. He leaned into the light touch at his cheeks, and nodded. Just taking it wherever it went, that sounded good. “Sounds like a plan, then.” he murmured, and leaned over, sealing it with a kiss that ended up with him drawing Luke into his lap.
It was a new position, unusual, but utterly comfortable as Luke hummed against his mouth and kissed him in return, twining his fingers into the curly strands of hair and holding Reid close to him. The kiss lingered, slow and sweet, with a low burn that made him squirm when they broke for air.
“The end of my shift can’t come soon enough.” he replied with a wink and a breathless grin as Reid laughed, holding him close with an arm around his back.
“All good things come to those who wait.” Reid told him as he brushed his nose against Luke’s ear lightly. “Now drink up, before you pass out. I’d rather your breathlessness be from me, than you being exhausted from dancing.”
“No doubts about that, Doctor.” Luke grinned, but dutifully picked up a new water bottle as the waiter brought them their order, sitting comfortably in Reid’s lap.
Reid chuckled under his breath. “Not that I need it, but you’re good for my ego, you know.”
“Glad to be of service.” Luke grinned at him playfully. It was the first time he’d spent in someone’s lap like this in a long while. It was comfortable and warm, and Reid’s fingers making little patterns along his spine certainly helped. He sighed and relaxed against him, exchanging small talk with the man in between the noise of the crowd and the music. Not exactly the best way to get to know someone, but he did find out small things, where he worked, what he did, who had pushed him into coming to the bar.
“I’ll have to thank your friend next time for dragging you here.” Luke replied with a grin as he ate his burger with hungry enthusiasm. “If he hadn’t…well, I wouldn’t be spending time with you, now would I?”
Reid chuckled, and used his thumb to wipe off a stray bit of ketchup by Luke’s mouth, licking his thumb clean as he winked when Luke stared at him. “Oh, no. Don’t you give Eric the credit…he’ll never let me live it down!”
“So, is he…are you and he…uh…”
“No!” Reid gasped, then grimaced playfully. “God, no. Eric’s straight.” he replied with a fake shudder as Luke laughed. “Makes me wonder why he hangs around, when he knows about my preferences, and even brought me here. Is he bi-curious or something?”
“Or maybe he’s just a good friend.” Luke suggested with a smile after taking another bite and chewing and swallowing. “It’s possible. I have a few friends back home like that. One was even nice enough to pretend to be my boyfriend when my boy--ex-boyfriend’s wife was caught up with the Homeland Security and about to be deported…”
“Wait, wait.” Reid waved a hand as he glanced at him. “Your boyfriend…the ex I’ve been hearing about…he was married?”
“Long story.” Luke chuckled, shaking his head wryly. “Long and complicated and still frustrating, now that I think about it.”
“…You have a drama-filled life. You sure that you’re not part of a soap opera?” Reid drawled, lips kicking up into a grin when his teasing words had Luke laughing again. He liked that sound. It seemed to him that Luke needed to laugh more, explore the possibilities, work outside the bubble of where he’d come from. Again, it made him wonder what Luke would look like, what he’d sound like in passion, and he tried to shake that off as best he could; clearing his throat as he finished off his burger in two bites.
“Damn, doctor, you have all the appetite of a growing teenage boy.” Luke murmured with some amount of awe as Reid snorted and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“High metabolism, I think. I’m one of the most high-profile neurologists in the country, I’m on my feet most of the time for twenty-four hours straight. My body has to keep up with me.” Reid explained as Luke gazed at him in interest
“So you are dedicated to your work, that you rarely get out at all? You know what they say about all work and no play, Reid.” he teased, relaxing against Reid’s body when he felt the man’s arms slip around his back, pulling him closer.
“I’ve heard of it.” Reid replied, a corner of his mouth quirking up as he held his gaze with Luke’s. “Maybe that’s why I’m playing catch-up.”
“Oh, is that it? Well, I’m flattered then, to be the one that you’ve decided to play catch-up with. Lots of fine-looking men in this bar, you know. I’m sure you could find a lot of willing partners.” Luke teased.
“Don’t need them. I’ve got the finest-looking one right here.”
“Aren’t you a charmer, doctor.”
“When I want to be.” Reid winked, before he drew Luke into another kiss, fingers clasping at his cheek lightly and holding him there. It was fun to flirt and tease. Truthfully, it didn’t happen as much as one would expect from an out and confident man such as himself, but there was something about Luke that made him crave more. For once, he was thinking about dinners for two and walks around the local park.
“Reid…?” Luke murmured softly, frowning in concern when Reid broke the kiss and glanced away. “Hey…what’s wrong?” he asked, fingers grazing along Reid’s jaw line. He looked almost spooked, a sort of deer-in-the-headlights expression that had Luke furrowing his brow.
“I…uh.” Reid sputtered. “It’s nothing. I just…yeah. Nothing.”
“Your expression doesn’t look like nothing.” Luke replied, arching his brow. “You look like something had shocked you--” He gave a grunt of surprise when he was unseated from Reid’s lap, blinking when Reid put distance between them in the booth. “Reid?”
“I…I’m going to go outside, I need some air.” Reid told him, eyes flicking away from Luke’s determination to catch his gaze, and avoided his hand as he climbed to his feet. Before Luke could say anything more, Reid slipped into the crowd, heading for the door.
Luke blinked after him, dumbfounded. They had been getting along so nicely. What in the world had that been about? Had he done something wrong? He bit his lip, thinking that perhaps he’d come on too strong, but shook his head firmly to himself.
“No. This guy’s not Noah.” he muttered. “There’s no reason to think he’s playing head games. Don’t start second-guessing yourself now.” He glanced at a clock on the wall, and surmised that he still had some time yet. He slid out of the booth, and headed through the crowd after Reid.
----
Reid paced outside of the bar, boot heels clacking back and forth across the wooden slats that made up the little built-in porch area, including a bench and a glider chair for sitting, and an old-time soda machine that looked like it still worked, even if the numbers were faded. His eyes took over the details absently, brain furiously working.
What was he thinking, wanting to take Luke out for normal things like dates? He didn’t do that sort of thing. That was the way it had been since med school. He didn’t know Luke, nor did Luke know him, and he liked it that way. It was simple. Uncomplicated. No strings, no expectations, and he got to scratch an itch and get rid of the guy after before he started getting interested.
So why was he wanting more now? Why did he want Luke to stick around? Why did he want to do normal…relationship things? Things he wasn’t good at… “I must be going insane…” he muttered to himself on another turn, before he startled as Luke sprinted out of the bar, almost nose to nose with him.
“Reid…there you are.” Luke replied, catching hold of Reid’s arm before they collided. “You worried me, rushing out of there like that. Are you okay?”
He should cut it right there. Nip the prospective, whatever they were in the bud before it got anymore out of control. Reid squared his shoulders to do just that, even had the words in his head, but when he faced Luke, nothing came out. He gazed at the young man, momentarily speechless at the gentle warmth in Luke’s eyes as he gazed at him in concern. Concern for him. How long had it been that someone had really given a damn whether he walked out the door or not?
Reid didn’t stop to question the inevitable answer to that question as he slumped with a sigh. He just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t just the Bambi eyes that were trained on him, though he would feel bad if he hurt Luke’s feelings. It was the fact that Luke really did care about him, and even if his own insecurities had chased him from Luke, he couldn’t turn him away.
“I…I’m fine. I’m just…” He shrugged, affecting a small, careless laugh that came out sounding more shy than anything else. “You raise up thoughts in me I haven’t had in a long time.” he replied honestly. “Things I should stop right now, before someone gets hurt.”
Luke made a quiet, understanding sound, before he stepped closer, resting both hands on Reid’s arms. “You’re kind of worried about how this is turning out, huh?” he replied softly. “Me, too. I mean, I’ve never gotten so close to someone before. Not so fast. My relationship with my ex dragged on before I even got a kiss. You…it’s all…”
“Moving faster than we thought?” Reid supplied, chuckling when Luke nodded. He reached out to touch his cheek softly. “There’s something I like about you. Something that makes me want to jump in without looking.”
“Not just some one-night stand.” Luke guessed, smiling at Reid as he leaned into the touch. “Kinda scary, huh?”
“Terrifying!” Reid replied, sharing a laugh with Luke. “But, yeah. I’m not a huge expert on this sort of thing.”
“Neither am I, really.” Luke replied. “I’ve never really had dates and a normal relationship kind of thing going on. I suppose we can learn together?” When Reid nodded, he took up Reid’s arm, glanced at his watch, and its date. “My day off is tomorrow. You maybe want to do something that doesn’t involve the Bucking Bull?”
“A sense of normality?” Reid mock-gasped. “How shocking~ Whatever will we do with ourselves?”
Luke chuckled. “Well, there’s dinner, going out to the movies, maybe? Whatever you’d like to do, I’m adaptable.” he murmured with a flush that had Reid leering at him playfully.
“Good to know~” Reid teased with a waggle of his brows. “I’m not much for eating out, you know, always too busy. Maybe dinner in? I’m a pretty decent cook, when I have the time. Usually it’s just take-out or entrees or something.”
“A homemade dinner? Well, you know I can’t resist that, Reid~” Luke grinned as he let go of his arm, just so their fingers tangled together. “I’d love it, actually.”
Luke’s acceptance made Reid’s eyes glitter in pleasure, and his lips curved up into a small smile as he gazed at the young man. It was completely, entirely, without a doubt, the craziest thing he’d ever done. But Luke’s smile made it all worth it.
“Good. I’ll give you my address before I leave…it’ll give me time to whip up something good.” he teased as Luke laughed. He gazed down at their intertwined fingers thoughtfully, and squeezed his hand lightly before he gathered himself again. “Well. Suppose we should re-join the crowd, huh? Now that I’m done hiding with my tail between my legs.”
Luke smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek, finding it endearing how the man could look so confident, and so shy at the same time. It tugged at his heartstrings, and he gazed at him affectionately. “Sounds like a good idea. Rick will kill me if I end up taking a walk with you instead of my shift.”
“Nah. He seems pretty fond of you, I doubt he’d let go of you easily. You have that pack of testosterone all drooling in there after all, and making him a bunch of money”
“I do not!” Luke sputtered, then blushed when Reid gave him an arch of a brow. “Well…okay, maybe a little…even if I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“If this is your version of winging it, then I’d hate to see it when you really know what you’re capable of!”
Luke grinned, feeling a little proud of himself as he walked back with Reid, arm in arm. So he was doing a good job, impressing people and the boss and drawing the man in that he’d wanted in the first place. Pretty much a win/win situation in his book. “Thank you, Reid.” he told him as they wound their way through the crowd once more.
“For what?” Reid asked as he let his eyes wander playfully over Luke’s leather-clad body. “For eyeing you up like a slab of beef?” he drawled as Luke snickered softly.
“No, for making me feel better. You don’t know how it is. I’m a new guy in a big city, and I somehow managed to land myself into a job that I never would’ve expected, and still landed on my feet…with a hot guy that has the same interest in me that I do. From where I’m coming from, that’s very good on my ego.”
Reid turned to him, then, and cupped Luke’s face in his hands, gazing over him until the younger man was pink around the edges. “Seems like you could do with some good ego-stroking~” he drawled playfully, startling a laugh out of Luke, before he tapped his cheek gently with his fingers. “Now go on, before I decide to keep you all for myself, Rick be damned.”
“Oh, I’m tempted, believe me.” Luke smiled, eyes shining, before he dropped a light kiss to Reid’s fingers, and reluctantly let go He headed back through the crowd to finish up his set.
He had wanted Reid’s attention, and gotten it. Though it wasn’t quite what he’d first expected, he didn’t mind it, either. It was nice to get out, to work his natural sensuality. To have an actual date. He wished that he could share with his mom or dad, but he didn’t think they’d be as enthused as he. He chuckled to himself as he climbed back up onto the platform, and gazed over the crowd. Somehow, though, in this instance, he wasn’t complaining at all.
--------
Luke did manage to let one person in on his exploits, the only person that had never judged him, or tried to convince him to another path, besides his grandmother. Casey had always been a good friend to him, accepting him as he was. The morning after the awesome night at the Bucking Bull, which had ended with a smoking-hot kiss from Reid, he texted his best friend and let him in all that had been happening.
He didn’t know that Casey could text so fast, actually.
After calming down Casey’s quick, blurted texts of ‘R u ok’ and ‘where in the hell did u GO, dumbass?!’, he punched out a full explanation as he fixed himself breakfast. Casey’s lightning replies slowed, then, and ramped up again.
‘Are you having a good time?’
‘Have you seen the sights?’
‘Pick up any hot dudes?’
Luke laughed to himself so much, he nearly burnt his scrambled eggs. Leave it to Casey to get to the heart of the matter, even if he wasn’t gay.
‘I’m having a great time. I’ve got a new job. Don’t tell mom and dad, please, they’d have a fit.’ he texted back to him once he’d gotten his chuckles back under control.
‘What? Is it something they wouldn’t approve of for their baby boy?’ Casey asked, before his next reply dinged two seconds after that. ‘Oh my god. You’re not a stripper, are you?’
Luke nearly snorted his coffee up his nose for that text, and sputtered. This was why he had decided to text Casey in the first place. The guy could handle everything, and still make him laugh. He had the patience of a saint, and his easygoing temper made up for his occasional blond moments. If Casey wasn’t straight, he’d totally go for a guy like him, but he did need a best friend. He’d used to think that Noah was the man for that.
‘No, I’m not a stripper! Get your mind out of the gutter. ;) I’m a dancer, like…one of those go-go dancers you see in movies. Think of those old Elvis movies that your dad has the collection of. Just without the hot pants and all that. It’s in a gay country bar, with a mechanical bull in one corner, and dancing platforms by the stage. It’s actually a pretty popular place…you wouldn’t believe how many gay guys are in Dallas.’
‘Dude, TMI! I’m getting the chills, here! But hey, as long as you’re making the dough to keep yourself afloat. Your friends miss you here, but I totally get it. You needed to get away from Noah…he is being something of a jerk. Think he’s driving your mom and dad up the wall, pumping them for info.’
Luke sighed softly, furrowing his brow at Casey’s last text. He scraped his eggs onto a plate, and turned off the heat to pour himself a glass of orange juice. “Figures.” he muttered to himself. “After I’m gone, THEN he decides to think about me.” He hoped that Noah wasn’t making things bad for his parents, he could be stubborn when he didn’t get things his way.
‘Promise you won’t say anything to Noah?’ he texted as he got everything settled at his little breakfast table. ‘I need this, Case. Time away from him and just to breathe. And there’s this guy, too, that I’m into…’
‘I won’t say a word to him, I promise. And a new guy? :o Details, man, details!’
Luke smiled as he split his time between eating and texting, telling him about the handsome doctor he’d met that seemed to have just as much an attraction to him as he did to Reid. One person couldn’t possibly jinx it, right?
‘He sounds awesome. And way more confident than Noah, with his head straight on his shoulders, no pun intended. Hope you have a great time! Text me on how the date goes, okay?’
‘I will, Casey. Send my love to the family, will you? Take care of yourself.’
‘You too, Luke. Later!’
Luke set his phone on the table with a sigh, and smiled to himself. Even if he was a thousand-plus miles away from Oakdale, talking to Casey made him feel a little less homesick, and a little more connected. Who knew how it would be if he tried to call home, if Noah was hanging around, hoping for information. He couldn’t talk to Noah, it wasn’t going to happen, not the way things had gone about before he’d left Oakdale.
He knew how it would be--Noah’s accusations, his guilt-trip words, how he wasn’t there for Noah, how could he leave; they’d end up fighting over the phone, and he cringed at the thought of it.
“Nope.” he told himself. “Today is about my date with Reid. Something good for a change, something that Noah has no part in.” He thought of those blue eyes fixed on him, the way Reid’s lips would tilt up in that little smile he had, and his heart turned a somersault in his chest.
His phone beeped again with another text message from Casey, and he picked it up. He laughed so long, his eggs got cold.
‘OMG, Luke! U have a date! What are u going 2 wear?? ;p’
--------
The day had passed much the same way for Reid. Eric had surmised that he had a date, though he wasn’t sure how Eric even figured it out, since he hadn’t said a word to him. Maybe it was the smiling? Eric had trailed him all through the day, teasing him cheerfully and earning more than one swat at his head or arms.
“Okay, okay! I’m sorry, I’ve just never seen you in such a good mood, all right? I’m glad that things are turning out well for you. Hey, if the date goes well, will you let me meet him? I promise to be on my best behavior. You know, kind of a test, to see if he’s good for you. Your parents would do that, if they were still around.” Eric replied as Reid frowned at him.
“You don’t know that. When they were still around--”
“I know, I know, the trained seal. But you were, what? Ten, eleven? You weren’t old enough to date. You probably didn’t even have a little boyfriend with all those chess events.” Eric pointed out, resting his charts against his hip as Reid mused quietly over his words.
“You have a point.” Reid murmured. “I don’t know if they would’ve really tested out boys or something. They never really had any issues with me being gay, but to do the whole…’if you’re good for my son’?” He shrugged. “Guess we’ll never know.”
“So let me be the stand-in.” Eric smiled. “We are best friends, right?”
“When you aren’t driving me crazy, I suppose.”
“So?”
Reid sighed. “Fine, fine. Since we’ll have passed the first date by then, I guess you can meet him. Just please don’t scare him away. Dating for real is scary enough as it is without him thinking I have a friend who’s ready for the psychiatric ward!”
“Hey! I’m not that bad!” Eric protested with a wounded puppy dog expression that, going by Reid’s expression, he wasn’t buying for one second. “Okay, I’ll behave. You’re into the guy, so he has to be pretty good, I want to make a good first impression. But shouldn’t he want to make the first impression, since I’m the parent stand-in?”
Reid gazed at him wryly. “And a pretty shoddy stand-in, at that.” he replied, before he hooked up his last chart for the day to the nurses’ station. It had been an easygoing day, and for once, he didn’t mind not having to dig his hands into someone’s brain. He had a date to look forward to. He unwound his stethoscope from around his neck, and turned to look at Eric, clearing his throat, awkwardly. “Look, uh, Eric. I just wanted to say…well, Luke said the same thing, but…well. Thanks. For taking me to the bar and pushing me through the doors.”
“For making you have fun for once?” Eric smiled at him. “You’re welcome. It’s actually kind of nice, to see you enjoying yourself. I hope it continues, not only for the nurses’ sanity!” He ducked another swat at his head, and chuckled. “Go on, your shift is almost over. Hope you have a good time, tonight.”
“Thanks.” Reid murmured with a shake of his head, before he gave him a wave and headed for the changing room to gather his stuff and clock out for the day. He had a lot of things to prepare for, and he needed to make a stop at the grocery store for a few things. He then thought of his mostly-empty refrigerator at home, with only enough items for coffee in the morning, and a stack of entrees and tv dinners in the freezer, and grimaced. All right, a lot of things. He wanted to impress Luke, not have him run the other way.
“You live a sad, sad life, Oliver.” he muttered to himself, before he squared his shoulders. Perhaps with Luke easing into his life, maybe things would change. He’d never really had anything, other than his career. As he changed out of his lab coat and scrub top, pulling his normal shirt back on, he thought of how long it had been since he’d had anything else before his career, and tracked it back to just before college, and his first boyfriend. How young and stupid he’d been back then, thinking he had had it all worked out. He hadn’t even hit the tip of the iceberg.
“Brain, don’t fail me now.” he muttered softly as he grabbed his coat, and his keys. “And maybe make a little room for the heart, too.”
--------
It had taken him an hour just to decide what he’d wanted to wear, after Luke had climbed out of the shower. He couldn’t think of any time that he’d been more nervous, except for the time that he’d first come out to his parents and Damian. This came pretty high up on the mark. His palms were sweating, his heart was pounding like a drum in his chest He even was having more trouble deciding what to wear than Faith, and she took forever.
Finally deciding on a nice, soft black shirt over a pair of white pants, he folded up his sleeves to the elbow, unbuttoned a few buttons at his neck so he could breathe, and grabbed his keys before he headed out towards Reid’s place.
Luke was only starting to figure out the streets of Dallas, and it was probably understandable that he made a few wrong turns. He was thankful, though, when he finally came up on the street sign and number he’d been given, and pulled his car up to a nice-looking apartment around a gated community. Reid was a doctor, after all, one of the best, and it looked like it hadn’t been an exaggeration of his ego. Gazing up at the old-world style building, with a little bit of that Tex-Mex flavor that seemed to be plentiful in Dallas, he sucked in a deep breath, then exhaled, before climbing out of his car.
There was a fountain in the middle of the square of buildings, old cobblestone pathways, he could even see a few gardens braced around, adding color to the area that seemed to be predominantly red-brown with cream here and there. It was a nice place, and he walked up the steps of an outside balcony, fanning himself absently from the humid air, before he knocked on Reid’s door.
The door opened after a few minutes, and Luke prayed his jaw wasn’t hanging on the ground as he stared at Reid, dressed in a deep blue shirt that brought out the color of his eyes, over black jeans that made his breath come to a stop in his chest.
“Hey, mister…eyes back up here.” Reid snorted, snapping his fingers before Luke’s eyes, his own eyes looking humorous. “Okay, so you like what I’m wearing…let’s see if you like anything else.” he chuckled, stepping back. “Won’t you come in?”
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4
The Butterfly Effect 5/?
Author: moonchilddj
Characters/Pairings: Luke, Reid, OCs, Casey/LuRe, mentionings of Nuke
Rating: R/NC-17
Summary: AU-ish. When the breaking of one relationship sends him running from Oakdale, can the new face of another man put Luke’s heart back together?
Beta: Paris11--thank you for cleaning the fic up as efficiently as you do!
Disclaimer: As much as I wish the boys were mine, I sadly don’t own them, or any character mentioned from ATWT. The fic and the OCs, quirky as they are, are mine. For the entertainment of LuRe fans only!
Author’s Note: Oh my gosh…it seems that my muse is back on track, people! After almost a year of having it be on hiatus, Chapter 4 and 5 were finished within a few weeks of each other! I’m going to immediately start on 6, before my luck runs out. XD Apologies for the wait for this chapter, it hadn’t been posted as quickly as I would’ve liked. =p Thank you all for your kind comments and words of encouragement! I wouldn’t know what to do without you. <3 I’m so glad you all still care for this fic, and I hope you stick around for more of it! Enjoy the chapter!
------
He had never been one for dancing. Not because he couldn’t. He was good at more things than just being a neurologist or playing chess. He just hadn’t had the incentive to want to dance, or the urge to possibly make a fool of himself with a partner. But as Reid danced a couples’ dance with Luke, listening to him laugh, taking in his flushed cheeks and shining eyes, he thought that maybe there was something to it, after all. The feel of Luke’s warm body, pressed against his own, the electric touch of hand to hand…he liked it. Surprise, surprise.
Reid could feel himself grinning when the song and the dance had ended. He twirled Luke back into him, catching him when he swayed dizzily into him.
“How was that, Luke~?” he drawled as Luke let out a carefree laugh.
“Oh my god.” Luke breathed, chuckling as he wrapped his arms around Reid’s neck. “Is the room still spinning? I need water, now! That was amazing! Nerve-wracking, but I’ve never danced like that with someone! How did we not trip each other up or get our legs tangled?”
“Luck.” Reid smirked at him as he gazed into the mirthful brown eyes. “And you had a partner that knew what he was doing to prevent a collision, naturally.”
“Of course.” Luke grinned at him, before happily following him back to their booth, flushed and out of breath. “Are all dances like that?”
“Of course not. Just the really fun ones.” Reid replied with a wink, guiding Luke back into his seat and making sure he didn’t fall down in the process. “I take it that you don’t have dancing like that, back where you come from.”
“No way.” Luke laughed as he collapsed with a sigh, grabbing his water and taking two or three hearty gulps, almost emptying the bottle altogether. “Sure, there’s certain theme nights at Metro, but nothing like that. I guess everything’s bigger in Texas?” he teased as Reid nearly choked on a mouthful of semi-warm cheese stick, chuckling to himself.
“Maybe so~” he teased back around his mouthful. “You’re really sheltered. We’re gonna have to fix that.”
Luke leaned closer to him, not even minding he was talking with his mouth full. It was cute, in a way that only Reid seemed to accomplish. “You’re welcome to try.” he whispered against his ear, grinning when those blue eyes burned at him. It was arousing, the way those eyes focused on him, as if he were the only one in the whole club. He could get used to it easily.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Reid hummed as he swallowed. Did the room just amp up in heat, or was it just him? He flicked his gaze along the younger man’s body, how it had moved to press up against him, and growled under his breath. Definitely him, considering the gorgeous young man plastered up against his side. He felt a bit proud, seeing the other envious looks from nearby men that wanted to be in his place. Tough luck for them. “Mm, I suppose you’ll have to go back up soon?” he asked as the blond sighed.
“Unfortunately.” Luke smiled. “Though I’d rather stay here.”
“Ditto.” Reid murmured as his eyes roamed over him. “Well, I’ll just have to claim you from all your admirers when you get back down. Seat’s just for you.” Luke Snyder was someone special. Someone he kinda wanted to get into a relationship with, despite all his grumblings about not doing relationships. How scary was that? He could feel nerves slide through him, but then they eased when Luke leaned forward and kissed him. It was impulsive and sweet, with a little bit of sass as he felt Luke’s hands tangle into his hair.
He was left a little bit dazed as he gazed into Luke’s eyes when the kiss was broken, feeling something give way inside him when Luke beamed at him.
“See you later?”
“Uh? Yeah. Okay.”
Luke laughed softly at the dazzled expression on Reid’s face, before he kissed him again, just because he could, and he liked that dazzled expression, just for him.
“See you then.” he whispered, before he slid back out of the booth and walked out with a wave to him, disappearing into the crowd.
Feeling a little foolish, as if the rest of his world had just walked out with Luke, Reid shook himself, and polished off half of the boat of cheese sticks. “Get yourself back in line, bonehead.” he grumbled to himself. “You’re old enough to know better.” But his heart wasn’t listening to his head. He couldn’t wait to see Luke again, and the quickened pounding of his heart only convinced him of it.
------
It had appeared that Rick had been doing some quick-fix work while Luke was off enjoying himself with the handsome doctor. As he headed back to his post, he found poles rigged up in the middle of the dancing platforms, and he knew enough about adult bars back home to glance to his employer with a blush. Rick laughed.
“Now, now, I’m not expectin’ THAT kind of entertainment!” he guffawed, his body shaking with mirth. “What’d I say, Luke, only good clean fun with a bit of sass! You ever dance with this sorta thing?”
“No, sir.” Luke murmured. “I’ve seen it, you know, on tv and all. That’s about it.”
Rick tilted his head at him, considering the young man for a moment, in among the throng of admirers around them. “I think you’ll do just fine, Luke.” he replied with a wide smile. “You seem to make the crowd happy doin’ just what you do, an’ I expect even this will have them whoopin’ and hollerin’!”
“You think?” Luke asked as he glanced back in the direction where he’d left Reid. Would the other man like it, too? Surely he’d seen people with more experience in this sort of thing…what if he wasn’t impressed?
“I know so.” Rick nodded firmly, rocking back and forth on his boot heels with a grin. “Ain’t nobody that can resist a good-lookin’ boy havin’ a good time!” He saw Luke glancing back over his shoulder, and smirked knowingly. “’Specially that fine-lookin’ gent you’ve got hangin’ onto your every move and look.”
Luke snapped his head back around, grinning sheepishly when Rick laughed again. “I really am transparent, aren’t I?”
“Only ‘cause you’re kinda sweet on him.” Rick chuckled. “So go on, shake it for him. I’m sure the boy won’t be complainin’ none!”
“If you say so…” He was a little worried he’d be making a fool of himself, but Rick seemed to have the utmost confidence in him. There must be something to it, right? He squared his shoulders and climbed up onto the platform, hearing the whistles and cheers of approval from their fan base as he and the other dancer climbed up. He grinned across the way to the other man, and exchanged nods with him. Here goes everything.
The normal music and dancing quieted down, all the attention drawn to the platforms as the speakers kicked on with a rollicking beat with a good, baseline drum that had the dancers tapping their toes and swaying their hips.
‘Hey, girl, go on now!
You know you got everybody lookin’…
Got a little boom in my big truck
Gonna open up the doors and turn it up
Gonna stomp my boots in the Georgia mud
Gonna watch you make me fall in love
Get up on the hood of my daddy’s tractor
Up on the tool box, it don’t matter
Down on the tailgate
Girl, I can’t wait
To watch you do your thing
Shake it for the young bucks sittin’ in the honky-tonks
For the rednecks rockin’ ‘til the break of dawn
The DJ spinnin’ that country song
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon
Shake it for the birds, shake it for the bees
Shake it for the catfish swimming down deep in the creek
For the crickets and the critters and the squirrels
Shake it to the moon, shake it for me, girl
Aw, country girl, shake it for me
Girl, shake it for me
Girl, shake it for me
Country girl, shake it for me
Girl, shake it for me
Girl, shake it for me’
**
Having moved from the table, once the crowd had thickened around the platforms, his jacket slid into the booth to save the space, Reid moved into the crowd, and was presently glad that he was wasn’t holding anything, nor drunk, because watching Luke sashay above them would’ve knocked him clean off of his feet.
He tried to pull his jaw off of the floor as he watched Luke swirl around the platform, holding onto the pole in the middle, splay his legs and draw his hands up over his hips, over his torso, then above his head as those black leather-clad hips swayed to the beat of the song. He had about as much luck with that as he did trying to get comfortable in his own jeans, which was practically nil.
This was a man that had never danced professionally before? Forget Chippendales, he could beat them out of the water altogether. Reid licked his lips, entranced by the gorgeous blond that had seemed to forget his reluctance to go back to the dancing platforms, and let his eyes wander down over that lithe body. Maybe he ought to follow Luke back to his place after all. He shook himself and his breath hissed in a soft wheeze when Luke swirled around the pole, those long legs wrapped around it.
“Holy hell…” he muttered under his breath, before he joined the appreciative audience’s cries and put two fingers to his lips, blowing a shrill whistle that floated up to the young man as he danced.
**
Apparently, he wasn’t doing too bad after all. Luke smiled to himself as he heard the calls from below the platform, and hooked his boot heels into the middle ring that kept the pole stationary, climbing onto it and rocking his body to the song that encouraged shaking it, hips thrusting out as he pumped his fist over his head and sang along. He could hear the echo of the men’s voices, and he grinned, wondering if a certain doctor was in amongst that throng.
Sashaying his hips, he leapt up and swirled his legs around the pole again, and spun down until he could reach the platform. He threw his whole heart into the performance as his hips moved, resting a hand along his leather-clad thigh as he walked down the line of the platform with more sexuality and appeal than a normal dancer in less clothes. His hips swayed like a pendulum before he stopped, gripping the edge of the platform railing as he looked out.
Ah. There he was. Luke smiled as he caught sight of Reid, and pointed to him as he rocked against the platform with a thrust of his hips, singing along.
‘Now dance, like a dandelion
In the wind on the hill underneath the pines
Yeah, move, like the river flows
Feel the kick drum down deep in your toes
All I wanna do is get to holdin’ you
And get to knowin’ you
And get to showin’ you
And get to lovin’ you
‘Fore the night is through
Baby, you know what to do’
**
Reid groaned under his breath when Luke’s eyes seemed to find his, even among the crowd. They were dark with enthusiasm, with pleasure, and he found himself wondering what they would look like in the height of passion. That lithe body, the skin shiny with sweat, that delectable mouth calling his name…
He was sure that he wasn’t the only man daydreaming about just such a thing, but lucky him, Luke seemed to have set his sights on him. As he watched Luke’s hips swivel as he kicked back into the dance, hands bracing on the platform so that his back arched, he let out a flustered sigh and pushed his hand through his hair. It was as obvious as anything that Luke welcomed his attentions, and even though quick and dirty was usually the name of the game with no strings attached, he didn’t want to treat Luke like that. Was there a balance between something fun and passionate, and serious without hurting anyone, and maybe with the promise of more? He’d never tried.
Blue eyes lifted up to Luke again, and he licked his lips as he watched Luke’s spine arch back as he held onto the pole in the middle of the platform with the end of the song. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he certainly wanted to find out. He joined with the audience in letting his appreciation be known over the dancers’ performance, and then slithered through the crowd, until he could reach the end of the platform. It was his arm that took Luke’s as he stepped off, a little wobbly, a little flushed.
“Keep dancing like that, and you’re going to have the ambulance in with people needing to be carried out from heat exhaustion from your sheer hotness.” he drawled, smirking at him.
Luke laughed at that, eyes shining as he warmly welcomed the steady hand, wrapping his own arm around his. “Well, thank you, I think! I wouldn’t want anyone passing out because of me, but the thought is appreciated!” he replied breathlessly, grinning an ear to ear smile that had both dimples pinging out. “I don’t even know where half of that comes from, it’s not like I’ve danced that way before. But I just have fun, and I want to impress…” He glanced at him from under his lashes coyly. “So, did I?”
“Hm…” Reid murmured, drawing out the moment until Luke snorted and punched his arm lightly. “Hell, yeah.” he told him with a grin, before he drew him in with a tug of his arm, and kissed him soundly.
“Whoa…warn a guy when you do that…” Luke murmured, feeling the tingle all the way to his toes as he gazed at him, licking his lips.
“Why? Seeing you flustered is worth the surprise.” Reid smirked as he escorted him back to their booth. “Hm, more water for you, I think. Wouldn’t want you getting dehydrated. Doctor’s orders.”
“I feel better already.” Luke grinned as he slid into the booth with Reid. He hadn’t missed the stroke of Reid’s hand against his back, down to his rear, and he bit his lip with a smile to himself. If he liked the way his body looked in the leather, his mission had been a success. “Mm, two or three more of this…I hope my legs survive.” he laughed, before he gasped when his leg was tugged up into the other man’s lap. “Reid, what…”
“Don’t tell me you’ve never had a massage?” Reid murmured with an arch of a brow. “You should consider yourself very lucky. I don’t do this for just anyone.” he replied as he started to massage Luke’s leg, from his thigh, down to his calf. “Considering how packed the bar is tonight, you’re going to get your money’s worth. Maybe…you’d be interested in a full body massage later?” he suggested as he gazed at him intently.
Luke’s breath left him in a rush. First Reid’s firm, but gentle touch on the thumping muscles in his leg, then the suggestion of more later? Where did he sign up? He gazed in astonishment, then pleasure when Reid flagged down a waiter to make another order for water, and threw in two burgers, to keep Luke’s strength up. “I’d be a fool to say no to an offer like that, and my mom raised me better than that.” he replied with a cheeky grin after the waiter had left. “But Reid, are you sure? The last time, when I asked you…”
“I’m asking, this time, so I’m more than interested.” Reid replied. “Probably more than I should be, but…” Digging his fingers into the calf muscles gently, he gazed at him again. “We don’t have to do anymore than you want to, Luke. But there is…I mean…there’s something…about you that I want to savor, for as long as I have it, if you’ll let me.” he muttered, aware that he was sputtering a little, as his nerves got the better of him. He probably would’ve sputtered some more, but then Luke’s hands moved, cupping his cheeks in his hands as his eyes met Luke‘s eyes.
“I feel the same way.” Luke told him with a smile. “I’m not the type of person to have some kind of fling with anyone, and I…get the idea that you have before.” He placed a thumb over Reid’s lips when he would’ve spoke. “Everyone works in different ways, Reid. That you even want to spend time with me, not necessarily in a fling, means that you’re a pretty good guy. I’ll take you up on that offer, after I get done with my shift? No strings, no promises, just you and me, going…wherever we want to go.”
Reid sighed quietly after Luke had let go of his mouth, feeling relieved that Luke hadn’t taken offense. He leaned into the light touch at his cheeks, and nodded. Just taking it wherever it went, that sounded good. “Sounds like a plan, then.” he murmured, and leaned over, sealing it with a kiss that ended up with him drawing Luke into his lap.
It was a new position, unusual, but utterly comfortable as Luke hummed against his mouth and kissed him in return, twining his fingers into the curly strands of hair and holding Reid close to him. The kiss lingered, slow and sweet, with a low burn that made him squirm when they broke for air.
“The end of my shift can’t come soon enough.” he replied with a wink and a breathless grin as Reid laughed, holding him close with an arm around his back.
“All good things come to those who wait.” Reid told him as he brushed his nose against Luke’s ear lightly. “Now drink up, before you pass out. I’d rather your breathlessness be from me, than you being exhausted from dancing.”
“No doubts about that, Doctor.” Luke grinned, but dutifully picked up a new water bottle as the waiter brought them their order, sitting comfortably in Reid’s lap.
Reid chuckled under his breath. “Not that I need it, but you’re good for my ego, you know.”
“Glad to be of service.” Luke grinned at him playfully. It was the first time he’d spent in someone’s lap like this in a long while. It was comfortable and warm, and Reid’s fingers making little patterns along his spine certainly helped. He sighed and relaxed against him, exchanging small talk with the man in between the noise of the crowd and the music. Not exactly the best way to get to know someone, but he did find out small things, where he worked, what he did, who had pushed him into coming to the bar.
“I’ll have to thank your friend next time for dragging you here.” Luke replied with a grin as he ate his burger with hungry enthusiasm. “If he hadn’t…well, I wouldn’t be spending time with you, now would I?”
Reid chuckled, and used his thumb to wipe off a stray bit of ketchup by Luke’s mouth, licking his thumb clean as he winked when Luke stared at him. “Oh, no. Don’t you give Eric the credit…he’ll never let me live it down!”
“So, is he…are you and he…uh…”
“No!” Reid gasped, then grimaced playfully. “God, no. Eric’s straight.” he replied with a fake shudder as Luke laughed. “Makes me wonder why he hangs around, when he knows about my preferences, and even brought me here. Is he bi-curious or something?”
“Or maybe he’s just a good friend.” Luke suggested with a smile after taking another bite and chewing and swallowing. “It’s possible. I have a few friends back home like that. One was even nice enough to pretend to be my boyfriend when my boy--ex-boyfriend’s wife was caught up with the Homeland Security and about to be deported…”
“Wait, wait.” Reid waved a hand as he glanced at him. “Your boyfriend…the ex I’ve been hearing about…he was married?”
“Long story.” Luke chuckled, shaking his head wryly. “Long and complicated and still frustrating, now that I think about it.”
“…You have a drama-filled life. You sure that you’re not part of a soap opera?” Reid drawled, lips kicking up into a grin when his teasing words had Luke laughing again. He liked that sound. It seemed to him that Luke needed to laugh more, explore the possibilities, work outside the bubble of where he’d come from. Again, it made him wonder what Luke would look like, what he’d sound like in passion, and he tried to shake that off as best he could; clearing his throat as he finished off his burger in two bites.
“Damn, doctor, you have all the appetite of a growing teenage boy.” Luke murmured with some amount of awe as Reid snorted and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“High metabolism, I think. I’m one of the most high-profile neurologists in the country, I’m on my feet most of the time for twenty-four hours straight. My body has to keep up with me.” Reid explained as Luke gazed at him in interest
“So you are dedicated to your work, that you rarely get out at all? You know what they say about all work and no play, Reid.” he teased, relaxing against Reid’s body when he felt the man’s arms slip around his back, pulling him closer.
“I’ve heard of it.” Reid replied, a corner of his mouth quirking up as he held his gaze with Luke’s. “Maybe that’s why I’m playing catch-up.”
“Oh, is that it? Well, I’m flattered then, to be the one that you’ve decided to play catch-up with. Lots of fine-looking men in this bar, you know. I’m sure you could find a lot of willing partners.” Luke teased.
“Don’t need them. I’ve got the finest-looking one right here.”
“Aren’t you a charmer, doctor.”
“When I want to be.” Reid winked, before he drew Luke into another kiss, fingers clasping at his cheek lightly and holding him there. It was fun to flirt and tease. Truthfully, it didn’t happen as much as one would expect from an out and confident man such as himself, but there was something about Luke that made him crave more. For once, he was thinking about dinners for two and walks around the local park.
“Reid…?” Luke murmured softly, frowning in concern when Reid broke the kiss and glanced away. “Hey…what’s wrong?” he asked, fingers grazing along Reid’s jaw line. He looked almost spooked, a sort of deer-in-the-headlights expression that had Luke furrowing his brow.
“I…uh.” Reid sputtered. “It’s nothing. I just…yeah. Nothing.”
“Your expression doesn’t look like nothing.” Luke replied, arching his brow. “You look like something had shocked you--” He gave a grunt of surprise when he was unseated from Reid’s lap, blinking when Reid put distance between them in the booth. “Reid?”
“I…I’m going to go outside, I need some air.” Reid told him, eyes flicking away from Luke’s determination to catch his gaze, and avoided his hand as he climbed to his feet. Before Luke could say anything more, Reid slipped into the crowd, heading for the door.
Luke blinked after him, dumbfounded. They had been getting along so nicely. What in the world had that been about? Had he done something wrong? He bit his lip, thinking that perhaps he’d come on too strong, but shook his head firmly to himself.
“No. This guy’s not Noah.” he muttered. “There’s no reason to think he’s playing head games. Don’t start second-guessing yourself now.” He glanced at a clock on the wall, and surmised that he still had some time yet. He slid out of the booth, and headed through the crowd after Reid.
----
Reid paced outside of the bar, boot heels clacking back and forth across the wooden slats that made up the little built-in porch area, including a bench and a glider chair for sitting, and an old-time soda machine that looked like it still worked, even if the numbers were faded. His eyes took over the details absently, brain furiously working.
What was he thinking, wanting to take Luke out for normal things like dates? He didn’t do that sort of thing. That was the way it had been since med school. He didn’t know Luke, nor did Luke know him, and he liked it that way. It was simple. Uncomplicated. No strings, no expectations, and he got to scratch an itch and get rid of the guy after before he started getting interested.
So why was he wanting more now? Why did he want Luke to stick around? Why did he want to do normal…relationship things? Things he wasn’t good at… “I must be going insane…” he muttered to himself on another turn, before he startled as Luke sprinted out of the bar, almost nose to nose with him.
“Reid…there you are.” Luke replied, catching hold of Reid’s arm before they collided. “You worried me, rushing out of there like that. Are you okay?”
He should cut it right there. Nip the prospective, whatever they were in the bud before it got anymore out of control. Reid squared his shoulders to do just that, even had the words in his head, but when he faced Luke, nothing came out. He gazed at the young man, momentarily speechless at the gentle warmth in Luke’s eyes as he gazed at him in concern. Concern for him. How long had it been that someone had really given a damn whether he walked out the door or not?
Reid didn’t stop to question the inevitable answer to that question as he slumped with a sigh. He just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t just the Bambi eyes that were trained on him, though he would feel bad if he hurt Luke’s feelings. It was the fact that Luke really did care about him, and even if his own insecurities had chased him from Luke, he couldn’t turn him away.
“I…I’m fine. I’m just…” He shrugged, affecting a small, careless laugh that came out sounding more shy than anything else. “You raise up thoughts in me I haven’t had in a long time.” he replied honestly. “Things I should stop right now, before someone gets hurt.”
Luke made a quiet, understanding sound, before he stepped closer, resting both hands on Reid’s arms. “You’re kind of worried about how this is turning out, huh?” he replied softly. “Me, too. I mean, I’ve never gotten so close to someone before. Not so fast. My relationship with my ex dragged on before I even got a kiss. You…it’s all…”
“Moving faster than we thought?” Reid supplied, chuckling when Luke nodded. He reached out to touch his cheek softly. “There’s something I like about you. Something that makes me want to jump in without looking.”
“Not just some one-night stand.” Luke guessed, smiling at Reid as he leaned into the touch. “Kinda scary, huh?”
“Terrifying!” Reid replied, sharing a laugh with Luke. “But, yeah. I’m not a huge expert on this sort of thing.”
“Neither am I, really.” Luke replied. “I’ve never really had dates and a normal relationship kind of thing going on. I suppose we can learn together?” When Reid nodded, he took up Reid’s arm, glanced at his watch, and its date. “My day off is tomorrow. You maybe want to do something that doesn’t involve the Bucking Bull?”
“A sense of normality?” Reid mock-gasped. “How shocking~ Whatever will we do with ourselves?”
Luke chuckled. “Well, there’s dinner, going out to the movies, maybe? Whatever you’d like to do, I’m adaptable.” he murmured with a flush that had Reid leering at him playfully.
“Good to know~” Reid teased with a waggle of his brows. “I’m not much for eating out, you know, always too busy. Maybe dinner in? I’m a pretty decent cook, when I have the time. Usually it’s just take-out or entrees or something.”
“A homemade dinner? Well, you know I can’t resist that, Reid~” Luke grinned as he let go of his arm, just so their fingers tangled together. “I’d love it, actually.”
Luke’s acceptance made Reid’s eyes glitter in pleasure, and his lips curved up into a small smile as he gazed at the young man. It was completely, entirely, without a doubt, the craziest thing he’d ever done. But Luke’s smile made it all worth it.
“Good. I’ll give you my address before I leave…it’ll give me time to whip up something good.” he teased as Luke laughed. He gazed down at their intertwined fingers thoughtfully, and squeezed his hand lightly before he gathered himself again. “Well. Suppose we should re-join the crowd, huh? Now that I’m done hiding with my tail between my legs.”
Luke smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek, finding it endearing how the man could look so confident, and so shy at the same time. It tugged at his heartstrings, and he gazed at him affectionately. “Sounds like a good idea. Rick will kill me if I end up taking a walk with you instead of my shift.”
“Nah. He seems pretty fond of you, I doubt he’d let go of you easily. You have that pack of testosterone all drooling in there after all, and making him a bunch of money”
“I do not!” Luke sputtered, then blushed when Reid gave him an arch of a brow. “Well…okay, maybe a little…even if I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“If this is your version of winging it, then I’d hate to see it when you really know what you’re capable of!”
Luke grinned, feeling a little proud of himself as he walked back with Reid, arm in arm. So he was doing a good job, impressing people and the boss and drawing the man in that he’d wanted in the first place. Pretty much a win/win situation in his book. “Thank you, Reid.” he told him as they wound their way through the crowd once more.
“For what?” Reid asked as he let his eyes wander playfully over Luke’s leather-clad body. “For eyeing you up like a slab of beef?” he drawled as Luke snickered softly.
“No, for making me feel better. You don’t know how it is. I’m a new guy in a big city, and I somehow managed to land myself into a job that I never would’ve expected, and still landed on my feet…with a hot guy that has the same interest in me that I do. From where I’m coming from, that’s very good on my ego.”
Reid turned to him, then, and cupped Luke’s face in his hands, gazing over him until the younger man was pink around the edges. “Seems like you could do with some good ego-stroking~” he drawled playfully, startling a laugh out of Luke, before he tapped his cheek gently with his fingers. “Now go on, before I decide to keep you all for myself, Rick be damned.”
“Oh, I’m tempted, believe me.” Luke smiled, eyes shining, before he dropped a light kiss to Reid’s fingers, and reluctantly let go He headed back through the crowd to finish up his set.
He had wanted Reid’s attention, and gotten it. Though it wasn’t quite what he’d first expected, he didn’t mind it, either. It was nice to get out, to work his natural sensuality. To have an actual date. He wished that he could share with his mom or dad, but he didn’t think they’d be as enthused as he. He chuckled to himself as he climbed back up onto the platform, and gazed over the crowd. Somehow, though, in this instance, he wasn’t complaining at all.
--------
Luke did manage to let one person in on his exploits, the only person that had never judged him, or tried to convince him to another path, besides his grandmother. Casey had always been a good friend to him, accepting him as he was. The morning after the awesome night at the Bucking Bull, which had ended with a smoking-hot kiss from Reid, he texted his best friend and let him in all that had been happening.
He didn’t know that Casey could text so fast, actually.
After calming down Casey’s quick, blurted texts of ‘R u ok’ and ‘where in the hell did u GO, dumbass?!’, he punched out a full explanation as he fixed himself breakfast. Casey’s lightning replies slowed, then, and ramped up again.
‘Are you having a good time?’
‘Have you seen the sights?’
‘Pick up any hot dudes?’
Luke laughed to himself so much, he nearly burnt his scrambled eggs. Leave it to Casey to get to the heart of the matter, even if he wasn’t gay.
‘I’m having a great time. I’ve got a new job. Don’t tell mom and dad, please, they’d have a fit.’ he texted back to him once he’d gotten his chuckles back under control.
‘What? Is it something they wouldn’t approve of for their baby boy?’ Casey asked, before his next reply dinged two seconds after that. ‘Oh my god. You’re not a stripper, are you?’
Luke nearly snorted his coffee up his nose for that text, and sputtered. This was why he had decided to text Casey in the first place. The guy could handle everything, and still make him laugh. He had the patience of a saint, and his easygoing temper made up for his occasional blond moments. If Casey wasn’t straight, he’d totally go for a guy like him, but he did need a best friend. He’d used to think that Noah was the man for that.
‘No, I’m not a stripper! Get your mind out of the gutter. ;) I’m a dancer, like…one of those go-go dancers you see in movies. Think of those old Elvis movies that your dad has the collection of. Just without the hot pants and all that. It’s in a gay country bar, with a mechanical bull in one corner, and dancing platforms by the stage. It’s actually a pretty popular place…you wouldn’t believe how many gay guys are in Dallas.’
‘Dude, TMI! I’m getting the chills, here! But hey, as long as you’re making the dough to keep yourself afloat. Your friends miss you here, but I totally get it. You needed to get away from Noah…he is being something of a jerk. Think he’s driving your mom and dad up the wall, pumping them for info.’
Luke sighed softly, furrowing his brow at Casey’s last text. He scraped his eggs onto a plate, and turned off the heat to pour himself a glass of orange juice. “Figures.” he muttered to himself. “After I’m gone, THEN he decides to think about me.” He hoped that Noah wasn’t making things bad for his parents, he could be stubborn when he didn’t get things his way.
‘Promise you won’t say anything to Noah?’ he texted as he got everything settled at his little breakfast table. ‘I need this, Case. Time away from him and just to breathe. And there’s this guy, too, that I’m into…’
‘I won’t say a word to him, I promise. And a new guy? :o Details, man, details!’
Luke smiled as he split his time between eating and texting, telling him about the handsome doctor he’d met that seemed to have just as much an attraction to him as he did to Reid. One person couldn’t possibly jinx it, right?
‘He sounds awesome. And way more confident than Noah, with his head straight on his shoulders, no pun intended. Hope you have a great time! Text me on how the date goes, okay?’
‘I will, Casey. Send my love to the family, will you? Take care of yourself.’
‘You too, Luke. Later!’
Luke set his phone on the table with a sigh, and smiled to himself. Even if he was a thousand-plus miles away from Oakdale, talking to Casey made him feel a little less homesick, and a little more connected. Who knew how it would be if he tried to call home, if Noah was hanging around, hoping for information. He couldn’t talk to Noah, it wasn’t going to happen, not the way things had gone about before he’d left Oakdale.
He knew how it would be--Noah’s accusations, his guilt-trip words, how he wasn’t there for Noah, how could he leave; they’d end up fighting over the phone, and he cringed at the thought of it.
“Nope.” he told himself. “Today is about my date with Reid. Something good for a change, something that Noah has no part in.” He thought of those blue eyes fixed on him, the way Reid’s lips would tilt up in that little smile he had, and his heart turned a somersault in his chest.
His phone beeped again with another text message from Casey, and he picked it up. He laughed so long, his eggs got cold.
‘OMG, Luke! U have a date! What are u going 2 wear?? ;p’
--------
The day had passed much the same way for Reid. Eric had surmised that he had a date, though he wasn’t sure how Eric even figured it out, since he hadn’t said a word to him. Maybe it was the smiling? Eric had trailed him all through the day, teasing him cheerfully and earning more than one swat at his head or arms.
“Okay, okay! I’m sorry, I’ve just never seen you in such a good mood, all right? I’m glad that things are turning out well for you. Hey, if the date goes well, will you let me meet him? I promise to be on my best behavior. You know, kind of a test, to see if he’s good for you. Your parents would do that, if they were still around.” Eric replied as Reid frowned at him.
“You don’t know that. When they were still around--”
“I know, I know, the trained seal. But you were, what? Ten, eleven? You weren’t old enough to date. You probably didn’t even have a little boyfriend with all those chess events.” Eric pointed out, resting his charts against his hip as Reid mused quietly over his words.
“You have a point.” Reid murmured. “I don’t know if they would’ve really tested out boys or something. They never really had any issues with me being gay, but to do the whole…’if you’re good for my son’?” He shrugged. “Guess we’ll never know.”
“So let me be the stand-in.” Eric smiled. “We are best friends, right?”
“When you aren’t driving me crazy, I suppose.”
“So?”
Reid sighed. “Fine, fine. Since we’ll have passed the first date by then, I guess you can meet him. Just please don’t scare him away. Dating for real is scary enough as it is without him thinking I have a friend who’s ready for the psychiatric ward!”
“Hey! I’m not that bad!” Eric protested with a wounded puppy dog expression that, going by Reid’s expression, he wasn’t buying for one second. “Okay, I’ll behave. You’re into the guy, so he has to be pretty good, I want to make a good first impression. But shouldn’t he want to make the first impression, since I’m the parent stand-in?”
Reid gazed at him wryly. “And a pretty shoddy stand-in, at that.” he replied, before he hooked up his last chart for the day to the nurses’ station. It had been an easygoing day, and for once, he didn’t mind not having to dig his hands into someone’s brain. He had a date to look forward to. He unwound his stethoscope from around his neck, and turned to look at Eric, clearing his throat, awkwardly. “Look, uh, Eric. I just wanted to say…well, Luke said the same thing, but…well. Thanks. For taking me to the bar and pushing me through the doors.”
“For making you have fun for once?” Eric smiled at him. “You’re welcome. It’s actually kind of nice, to see you enjoying yourself. I hope it continues, not only for the nurses’ sanity!” He ducked another swat at his head, and chuckled. “Go on, your shift is almost over. Hope you have a good time, tonight.”
“Thanks.” Reid murmured with a shake of his head, before he gave him a wave and headed for the changing room to gather his stuff and clock out for the day. He had a lot of things to prepare for, and he needed to make a stop at the grocery store for a few things. He then thought of his mostly-empty refrigerator at home, with only enough items for coffee in the morning, and a stack of entrees and tv dinners in the freezer, and grimaced. All right, a lot of things. He wanted to impress Luke, not have him run the other way.
“You live a sad, sad life, Oliver.” he muttered to himself, before he squared his shoulders. Perhaps with Luke easing into his life, maybe things would change. He’d never really had anything, other than his career. As he changed out of his lab coat and scrub top, pulling his normal shirt back on, he thought of how long it had been since he’d had anything else before his career, and tracked it back to just before college, and his first boyfriend. How young and stupid he’d been back then, thinking he had had it all worked out. He hadn’t even hit the tip of the iceberg.
“Brain, don’t fail me now.” he muttered softly as he grabbed his coat, and his keys. “And maybe make a little room for the heart, too.”
--------
It had taken him an hour just to decide what he’d wanted to wear, after Luke had climbed out of the shower. He couldn’t think of any time that he’d been more nervous, except for the time that he’d first come out to his parents and Damian. This came pretty high up on the mark. His palms were sweating, his heart was pounding like a drum in his chest He even was having more trouble deciding what to wear than Faith, and she took forever.
Finally deciding on a nice, soft black shirt over a pair of white pants, he folded up his sleeves to the elbow, unbuttoned a few buttons at his neck so he could breathe, and grabbed his keys before he headed out towards Reid’s place.
Luke was only starting to figure out the streets of Dallas, and it was probably understandable that he made a few wrong turns. He was thankful, though, when he finally came up on the street sign and number he’d been given, and pulled his car up to a nice-looking apartment around a gated community. Reid was a doctor, after all, one of the best, and it looked like it hadn’t been an exaggeration of his ego. Gazing up at the old-world style building, with a little bit of that Tex-Mex flavor that seemed to be plentiful in Dallas, he sucked in a deep breath, then exhaled, before climbing out of his car.
There was a fountain in the middle of the square of buildings, old cobblestone pathways, he could even see a few gardens braced around, adding color to the area that seemed to be predominantly red-brown with cream here and there. It was a nice place, and he walked up the steps of an outside balcony, fanning himself absently from the humid air, before he knocked on Reid’s door.
The door opened after a few minutes, and Luke prayed his jaw wasn’t hanging on the ground as he stared at Reid, dressed in a deep blue shirt that brought out the color of his eyes, over black jeans that made his breath come to a stop in his chest.
“Hey, mister…eyes back up here.” Reid snorted, snapping his fingers before Luke’s eyes, his own eyes looking humorous. “Okay, so you like what I’m wearing…let’s see if you like anything else.” he chuckled, stepping back. “Won’t you come in?”