The Perfect Boyfriend, Part One
It took merely four months of living in Oakdale for Dr. Reid Oliver to decide, much to his surprise, that he was an excellent boyfriend. The start of his relationship was certainly rocky, given his amnesia, routine Oakdale gunfire, and his boyfriend Luke’s insane half-brother that no one knew about before Reid’s return from the dead. Despite that rather dubious beginning, Reid came to the inevitable conclusion that he was, in fact, a perfect boyfriend.
Reid pondered his own good fortune as he lay in bed alone one morning. The phone had rung, and Luke crawled out of bed to talk to whatever idiot was on the other side of the line. Reid felt certain it was an idiot because everyone to whom Luke talked seemed to be one. Anyone who called their home on a Saturday morning certainly had to be one.
So, Reid, rather than dwell on the local morons, took the time to think about his own perfection. His deduction that he was flawless was the product of logic and sound reasoning, capabilities other Oakdalians lacked but Reid felt he had in abundance. While some people would be uncomfortable acknowledging their own perfection, Reid didn’t countenance false modesty. If it was the truth, why not admit it and move on? It wasn’t like he was going to go brag about it to everyone-quite to the contrary, in fact. He rather enjoyed his reputation as the town jerk and didn’t want to disabuse anyone from that notion.
Perfection, Reid decided, was largely possible because he and Luke fundamentally understood each other. This insight into the other person was the most important aspect of their relationship. This part was easy for Reid. Luke needed respect, which was impossible not to give Luke. The younger man was smart, brave, and open-hearted. Who wouldn’t respect those things? Furthermore, Luke needed for Reid to be his touchstone in Luke’s rather chaotic life. Reid understood that, and it made Reid feel good that he got that.
Reid had ample opportunity to be Luke’s support. They had moved in together three months ago. In this short time period, Luke’s Aunt Meg had already tried to kill the ever-jabbering Janet Ciccone, and Holden had gotten angry with Lily when she had spoken ten words of consolation to Dusty. On top of that, Faith seemed to have gotten involved with a man who may or may not have been her cousin (but it turned out that the familial link was not the case). A fire struck the Lakeview and Lily barely escaped, an event which seemed to reunite Holden and Lily. All in all, it seemed to be business as usual for Oakdalians, but none of it was easy on Luke. Reid was there for him. Sometimes he was the only person there for Luke, but he was all Luke needed.
To add to the recent stress, Alec (or Alessio or whatever he called himself) had recently contacted Reid. He had been moved from jail to a medical institution when a doctor found a lesion on Alec’s brain that may be causing insanity. Alec wanted Reid to perform the operation. (Only in Oakdale, Reid had thought as he hung up the phone on Luke’s older brother.) Reid decided to leave the decision to Luke. Thus far, Luke had been adamant that Reid not perform the surgery, but Reid was starting to see chinks in Luke’s armor. Luke had started “casually” asking questions about whether the lesion could really have caused Alec to hide Reid in New York for five years or plot to kill Luke. Reid had a dreadful feeling that on Thanksgiving, he would be sitting down to dinner between the two look-alike brothers.
The fact that Reid could even entertain this thought made him perfect for Luke.
There were parts of the relationship about which Reid had had qualms at first. For instance, Reid had concerns that he would be too cold and unsentimental for any lasting relationship, but he found that some of the things Luke found most romantic, Reid enjoyed as well. His favorite thing was when he whispered the words, “Mr. Snyder,” into Luke’s ear. No matter where they were, Luke would grab Reid’s hand and drag him home straight to the bedroom.
Reid was perfect in the bedroom, too, but he had already known that before becoming Luke’s boyfriend. Reid wouldn’t feign any modesty there. He even surpassed his own expectations when he discovered that cuddling was another romantic gesture that he actually liked. In the five years of his adult life that he remembered, he had clearly undervalued the pleasure that curling up with someone could provide.
The idea of domesticity was something for which Reid had also had initial apprehension. Living with Luke turned out to be easy. Reid even found some parts of domestic life very enjoyable, though he would never admit to it. He actually liked reading aloud to Luke at night on the sofa. First, it gave him chance to read Jane Austen. Luke had to swear never to tell anyone or nighttime reading would cease. Second, he got watch Luke sleep with his head in Reid’s lap. Luke didn’t know that Reid enjoyed that, and he would never find out as far as the doctor was concerned.
Reid took pleasure in going out to eat with Luke. After two dismal attempts at cooking by Luke, it was unanimously decided that Luke was as skilled a cook as he was a baker, which meant he had zero skill. Unless Reid got home in time and there were actual groceries in the refrigerator, they had takeout or went out. Luke was a great dinner companion. He rarely finished what he was eating, so Reid got to pick off his plate. Luke seemed to adore going out to dinner with Reid, so it was a win-win. Reid got points for being a wonderful boyfriend, and Luke got to spend time with Reid.
The doctor did believe, with no small amount of self-satisfaction, that his willingness to partake in these parts of their relationship only added to his own perfection in Luke’s eyes.
The relationship did, however, work both ways. Luke was the most giving person Reid had ever known, so how else would it be? Luke, for instance, knew when Reid needed to be left alone after a bad day at work. Even harder to fathom for Reid was the fact that Luke somehow also knew when Reid really needed to talk about what had happened. Not only did Luke seem to understand Reid, but Reid knew without any doubt that Luke would do anything to make Reid happy. Luke focused his unusual blend of tenacity and kindness directly at Reid. He gave Reid something he’d never had before, a sense of home. Reid might be a perfect boyfriend for Luke, but Reid knew that perfection just might have been achieved by more than one person in their relationship.
In the three months they had been together, the two had only had one real disagreement that was more than their usual playful bickering. Reid, when he looked at it in retrospect with some smug pride, even thought it had been rather productive. It all started one morning when he woke up with a bad cold. He couldn’t breathe and was coughing as he started to get dressed for the day.
--Reid, what are you doing?
--Uh, going to work like I always do?
--But, you're sick!
--It’s just a cold.
--You don’t know that for sure. It could get worse.
--If it did, I’d still go to work. I’m a doctor. I just can’t take days off.
--You could get your patients sick.
--That’s why we wash our hands.
--You need to stay home.
--Don’t be ridiculous. It’s a cold. I’m going to work.
--Ridiculous? You think I’m being ridiculous? You’re the one exposing yourself and your patients to unnecessary risk.
--Oh, my god. What is wrong with you?
It was at this point that he happened to look at Luke and see the panic in the younger man’s eyes. There was fear, and it was very real. Reid closed his eyes and took a difficult breath. He knew exactly what was going on. He grabbed Luke’s hands and sat down on the bed.
--Luke, I’ll be okay. I’m not going to die from this.
--You...you don’t know that.
--I do. I’m going to be fine.
--Reid, you just can’t be sure.
--No, but I can be pretty close. I’m a doctor, you know. A pretty good one.
--Reid, can’t you stay home?
--No, but how about I text you every two hours to let you know I’m okay?
And that’s what they agreed upon. Reid went to work and texted Luke every other hour. Unfortunately, Reid learned that he was a giant hypocrite when Luke came down with the same cold three days later.
--Luke, get back in that bed.
--Reid, I’ve got meetings all day. It’s just a cold!
--Just a cold! With your immune system and transplant?
--Yes, Reid. I’ve gotten colds before. It’s fine.
--You’re staying home and I’m staying with you.
--Reid! Don’t be ridiculous. You have to go to work, and so do I.
--I can skip out , and so can you.
--I thought doctors never missed work. Isn’t that what you said to me the other day?
Reid sat Luke down on the bed, and looked into his brown eyes.
--Please stay.
--Okay.
The two men were forced to acknowledge that they both had issues when it came to feeling at ease for the other’s well-being. They made a plan to indulge these kinds of concerns for a year. Maybe by the end of it, they would both trust that the other wasn’t going to disappear. They did have good reason for the fears after all-Reid had nearly died five years ago in a train accident and still didn’t have most of his memories. Luke had thought him dead the entire time while Reid was healing on his own in New York. Then, Alec had kidnapped Luke and threatened to kill them both before he was arrested. If ever there were good reasons to fear that the other person might not be safe, these were they.
Luke and Reid made adjustments for each other’s worries. Reid drove his car one mile under the speed limit because he knew Luke worried about Reid driving himself, not that there was really much chance of getting hit by a train again. Still, as Luke pointed out, weirder things had happened in Oakdale. They both kept in touch during the day frequently-who knew when medical ailments, shootings, fires or kidnappings might strike? And Luke ate a very healthy diet due to Reid’s concern about Luke’s single kidney.
In all, Reid thought he had relationships all figured out, particularly this relationship. The real beauty of it all was that he got to keep his cold reputation around town. No one approached him at parties. The nurses still cried. People, other than Katie, Bob, or Luke, raced to avoid him. It was the best of both worlds.
Reid came out of his reverie when Luke, dressed in only his grey boxers, came back into the room, seeming a little nervous. He sat down next to Reid on the bed, and Reid immediately moved his hand to Luke’s waistband and wondered how long it would take to get Luke completely naked. Five seconds? Ten?
Luke cleared his throat to get Reid’s attention. “Um, Reid? I have a question for you, and you can feel free to say no.”
“No.”
“Reid!” Luke laughed. “That was Grandma on the phone. She wanted to know if we’d come over next weekend.”
“Is this a party?” Reid liked Emma but hated parties. This would be a difficult decision.
“Yes.” Luke seemed to hesitate. “And it’s being thrown for Noah, my ex-boyfriend.”
Reid frowned. “The one whose eyesight I saved.” Reid didn’t remember Noah, but Luke had once told him all about the less-than-stellar ex.
“That’s the one.”
“Why is she throwing him a party?”
“My mother asked her to. I guess Noah is in town for a few days, and Mom’s house is being redecorated.”
“Do you want to see him?”
“Noah? I guess so,” Luke replied with a shrug. “We’ve kept in touch off and on through the years. But, if it makes you uncomfortable, we won’t go.”
Seeing a chance to earn Brownie points as the World’s Most Perfect Boyfriend (Reid had decided that if Luke were a “perfect” boyfriend then Reid could be “most perfect” despite the impossibility of improving upon perfection), Reid said, “I don’t mind going. The usual rules apply, right? I only have to say hello to people, and then I can stand by the food?” Reid really wasn’t asking for permission-he was going to hover around the food no matter what Luke said.
Luke visibly relaxed as he realized that his worry was over nothing. Reid didn’t remember Noah, so the old animosity and insecurities weren’t there. Plus, it had been five years since those two were even in the same room. Luke felt silly for having been anxious.
Reid felt sure this is exactly what a good boyfriend would do-go to the party. He had nothing to worry about. Luke loved Reid, and Reid couldn’t even remember the guy they were talking about. Reid had never felt a twinge of jealousy around Luke once they had gotten together. He wasn’t sure why Luke seemed so nervous about it. It was a party with a bunch of people Reid barely cared about. Really, what could go wrong?
A/N So sorry for the delay! Summer was really hectic. I hope to have Part 2 of 2 out next week.
Reid pondered his own good fortune as he lay in bed alone one morning. The phone had rung, and Luke crawled out of bed to talk to whatever idiot was on the other side of the line. Reid felt certain it was an idiot because everyone to whom Luke talked seemed to be one. Anyone who called their home on a Saturday morning certainly had to be one.
So, Reid, rather than dwell on the local morons, took the time to think about his own perfection. His deduction that he was flawless was the product of logic and sound reasoning, capabilities other Oakdalians lacked but Reid felt he had in abundance. While some people would be uncomfortable acknowledging their own perfection, Reid didn’t countenance false modesty. If it was the truth, why not admit it and move on? It wasn’t like he was going to go brag about it to everyone-quite to the contrary, in fact. He rather enjoyed his reputation as the town jerk and didn’t want to disabuse anyone from that notion.
Perfection, Reid decided, was largely possible because he and Luke fundamentally understood each other. This insight into the other person was the most important aspect of their relationship. This part was easy for Reid. Luke needed respect, which was impossible not to give Luke. The younger man was smart, brave, and open-hearted. Who wouldn’t respect those things? Furthermore, Luke needed for Reid to be his touchstone in Luke’s rather chaotic life. Reid understood that, and it made Reid feel good that he got that.
Reid had ample opportunity to be Luke’s support. They had moved in together three months ago. In this short time period, Luke’s Aunt Meg had already tried to kill the ever-jabbering Janet Ciccone, and Holden had gotten angry with Lily when she had spoken ten words of consolation to Dusty. On top of that, Faith seemed to have gotten involved with a man who may or may not have been her cousin (but it turned out that the familial link was not the case). A fire struck the Lakeview and Lily barely escaped, an event which seemed to reunite Holden and Lily. All in all, it seemed to be business as usual for Oakdalians, but none of it was easy on Luke. Reid was there for him. Sometimes he was the only person there for Luke, but he was all Luke needed.
To add to the recent stress, Alec (or Alessio or whatever he called himself) had recently contacted Reid. He had been moved from jail to a medical institution when a doctor found a lesion on Alec’s brain that may be causing insanity. Alec wanted Reid to perform the operation. (Only in Oakdale, Reid had thought as he hung up the phone on Luke’s older brother.) Reid decided to leave the decision to Luke. Thus far, Luke had been adamant that Reid not perform the surgery, but Reid was starting to see chinks in Luke’s armor. Luke had started “casually” asking questions about whether the lesion could really have caused Alec to hide Reid in New York for five years or plot to kill Luke. Reid had a dreadful feeling that on Thanksgiving, he would be sitting down to dinner between the two look-alike brothers.
The fact that Reid could even entertain this thought made him perfect for Luke.
There were parts of the relationship about which Reid had had qualms at first. For instance, Reid had concerns that he would be too cold and unsentimental for any lasting relationship, but he found that some of the things Luke found most romantic, Reid enjoyed as well. His favorite thing was when he whispered the words, “Mr. Snyder,” into Luke’s ear. No matter where they were, Luke would grab Reid’s hand and drag him home straight to the bedroom.
Reid was perfect in the bedroom, too, but he had already known that before becoming Luke’s boyfriend. Reid wouldn’t feign any modesty there. He even surpassed his own expectations when he discovered that cuddling was another romantic gesture that he actually liked. In the five years of his adult life that he remembered, he had clearly undervalued the pleasure that curling up with someone could provide.
The idea of domesticity was something for which Reid had also had initial apprehension. Living with Luke turned out to be easy. Reid even found some parts of domestic life very enjoyable, though he would never admit to it. He actually liked reading aloud to Luke at night on the sofa. First, it gave him chance to read Jane Austen. Luke had to swear never to tell anyone or nighttime reading would cease. Second, he got watch Luke sleep with his head in Reid’s lap. Luke didn’t know that Reid enjoyed that, and he would never find out as far as the doctor was concerned.
Reid took pleasure in going out to eat with Luke. After two dismal attempts at cooking by Luke, it was unanimously decided that Luke was as skilled a cook as he was a baker, which meant he had zero skill. Unless Reid got home in time and there were actual groceries in the refrigerator, they had takeout or went out. Luke was a great dinner companion. He rarely finished what he was eating, so Reid got to pick off his plate. Luke seemed to adore going out to dinner with Reid, so it was a win-win. Reid got points for being a wonderful boyfriend, and Luke got to spend time with Reid.
The doctor did believe, with no small amount of self-satisfaction, that his willingness to partake in these parts of their relationship only added to his own perfection in Luke’s eyes.
The relationship did, however, work both ways. Luke was the most giving person Reid had ever known, so how else would it be? Luke, for instance, knew when Reid needed to be left alone after a bad day at work. Even harder to fathom for Reid was the fact that Luke somehow also knew when Reid really needed to talk about what had happened. Not only did Luke seem to understand Reid, but Reid knew without any doubt that Luke would do anything to make Reid happy. Luke focused his unusual blend of tenacity and kindness directly at Reid. He gave Reid something he’d never had before, a sense of home. Reid might be a perfect boyfriend for Luke, but Reid knew that perfection just might have been achieved by more than one person in their relationship.
In the three months they had been together, the two had only had one real disagreement that was more than their usual playful bickering. Reid, when he looked at it in retrospect with some smug pride, even thought it had been rather productive. It all started one morning when he woke up with a bad cold. He couldn’t breathe and was coughing as he started to get dressed for the day.
--Reid, what are you doing?
--Uh, going to work like I always do?
--But, you're sick!
--It’s just a cold.
--You don’t know that for sure. It could get worse.
--If it did, I’d still go to work. I’m a doctor. I just can’t take days off.
--You could get your patients sick.
--That’s why we wash our hands.
--You need to stay home.
--Don’t be ridiculous. It’s a cold. I’m going to work.
--Ridiculous? You think I’m being ridiculous? You’re the one exposing yourself and your patients to unnecessary risk.
--Oh, my god. What is wrong with you?
It was at this point that he happened to look at Luke and see the panic in the younger man’s eyes. There was fear, and it was very real. Reid closed his eyes and took a difficult breath. He knew exactly what was going on. He grabbed Luke’s hands and sat down on the bed.
--Luke, I’ll be okay. I’m not going to die from this.
--You...you don’t know that.
--I do. I’m going to be fine.
--Reid, you just can’t be sure.
--No, but I can be pretty close. I’m a doctor, you know. A pretty good one.
--Reid, can’t you stay home?
--No, but how about I text you every two hours to let you know I’m okay?
And that’s what they agreed upon. Reid went to work and texted Luke every other hour. Unfortunately, Reid learned that he was a giant hypocrite when Luke came down with the same cold three days later.
--Luke, get back in that bed.
--Reid, I’ve got meetings all day. It’s just a cold!
--Just a cold! With your immune system and transplant?
--Yes, Reid. I’ve gotten colds before. It’s fine.
--You’re staying home and I’m staying with you.
--Reid! Don’t be ridiculous. You have to go to work, and so do I.
--I can skip out , and so can you.
--I thought doctors never missed work. Isn’t that what you said to me the other day?
Reid sat Luke down on the bed, and looked into his brown eyes.
--Please stay.
--Okay.
The two men were forced to acknowledge that they both had issues when it came to feeling at ease for the other’s well-being. They made a plan to indulge these kinds of concerns for a year. Maybe by the end of it, they would both trust that the other wasn’t going to disappear. They did have good reason for the fears after all-Reid had nearly died five years ago in a train accident and still didn’t have most of his memories. Luke had thought him dead the entire time while Reid was healing on his own in New York. Then, Alec had kidnapped Luke and threatened to kill them both before he was arrested. If ever there were good reasons to fear that the other person might not be safe, these were they.
Luke and Reid made adjustments for each other’s worries. Reid drove his car one mile under the speed limit because he knew Luke worried about Reid driving himself, not that there was really much chance of getting hit by a train again. Still, as Luke pointed out, weirder things had happened in Oakdale. They both kept in touch during the day frequently-who knew when medical ailments, shootings, fires or kidnappings might strike? And Luke ate a very healthy diet due to Reid’s concern about Luke’s single kidney.
In all, Reid thought he had relationships all figured out, particularly this relationship. The real beauty of it all was that he got to keep his cold reputation around town. No one approached him at parties. The nurses still cried. People, other than Katie, Bob, or Luke, raced to avoid him. It was the best of both worlds.
Reid came out of his reverie when Luke, dressed in only his grey boxers, came back into the room, seeming a little nervous. He sat down next to Reid on the bed, and Reid immediately moved his hand to Luke’s waistband and wondered how long it would take to get Luke completely naked. Five seconds? Ten?
Luke cleared his throat to get Reid’s attention. “Um, Reid? I have a question for you, and you can feel free to say no.”
“No.”
“Reid!” Luke laughed. “That was Grandma on the phone. She wanted to know if we’d come over next weekend.”
“Is this a party?” Reid liked Emma but hated parties. This would be a difficult decision.
“Yes.” Luke seemed to hesitate. “And it’s being thrown for Noah, my ex-boyfriend.”
Reid frowned. “The one whose eyesight I saved.” Reid didn’t remember Noah, but Luke had once told him all about the less-than-stellar ex.
“That’s the one.”
“Why is she throwing him a party?”
“My mother asked her to. I guess Noah is in town for a few days, and Mom’s house is being redecorated.”
“Do you want to see him?”
“Noah? I guess so,” Luke replied with a shrug. “We’ve kept in touch off and on through the years. But, if it makes you uncomfortable, we won’t go.”
Seeing a chance to earn Brownie points as the World’s Most Perfect Boyfriend (Reid had decided that if Luke were a “perfect” boyfriend then Reid could be “most perfect” despite the impossibility of improving upon perfection), Reid said, “I don’t mind going. The usual rules apply, right? I only have to say hello to people, and then I can stand by the food?” Reid really wasn’t asking for permission-he was going to hover around the food no matter what Luke said.
Luke visibly relaxed as he realized that his worry was over nothing. Reid didn’t remember Noah, so the old animosity and insecurities weren’t there. Plus, it had been five years since those two were even in the same room. Luke felt silly for having been anxious.
Reid felt sure this is exactly what a good boyfriend would do-go to the party. He had nothing to worry about. Luke loved Reid, and Reid couldn’t even remember the guy they were talking about. Reid had never felt a twinge of jealousy around Luke once they had gotten together. He wasn’t sure why Luke seemed so nervous about it. It was a party with a bunch of people Reid barely cared about. Really, what could go wrong?
A/N So sorry for the delay! Summer was really hectic. I hope to have Part 2 of 2 out next week.