The Long and Winding Road 26/?
Title: The Long and Winding Road
Pairing: Luke and Reid
Other Characters: Noah and Henry
Summary: This is the story about the courtship of Luke and Reid
Rating: NC 17 for language and sexual content (don’t be afraid)
Disclaimer: These are not my characters. All belong to ATWT and its parent company(ies). All mistakes are mine.
Noah arrived at Al’s at exactly 7:00 and was irritated to find that Luke was not there waiting for him. Where the hell is he? We agreed on 7:00 and I expected him to be here at 6:45 waiting for me.
“Hi Noah are you meeting someone here?” Henry inquired, noting the squinty look on Noah’s face.
“I was supposed to meet Luke here at 7:00, but I see he’s not here,” Noah grumbled.
“I’m sure he’ll be here soon, it’s only 7:01,” Henry noted shaking his head. “Is Reid coming with him?”
“God no,” Noah replied a look of absolute horror marring his handsome face. “Luke and I are trying to reconnect as a couple, the last thing we need is that bloody interloper, Reid Oliver trying to interfere.”
“I see,” Henry responded wondering if Luke was aware that he was reconnecting with Noah. “Well have a seat. Would you like something to drink while you wait?”
“Sure,” Noah answered feeling heroic for trying to make the best of things. “I’ll have a soda.”
“One soda coming right up,” Henry stated as he handed a menu to Noah and placed another one on the other side of the table.
Just then Luke walked in and saw Noah sitting at a table. Luke walked over and sat down to join the other man.
“Hi Noah,”
“Hi Luke,” Noah returned looking pointedly at his watch.
“Am I late?” Luke inquired. “I thought that we had said 7:00.”
“We did,” Noah confirmed. “It’s 7:03. I thought that you would be here no later than 6:45.” Noah finished reproachfully.
“Oh,” Luke replied feeling confused, “were you here then?”
“No, of course not, I arrived right at 7:00,” Noah responded.
Oh brother, was Noah always this petty? I guess that I did always arrive early, because when we were dating I was always excited to see him. Still he shouldn’t have taken me for granted. Especially now that we are no longer together, well that’s one more reason why we aren’t right for each other.
“So Noah, what did you want to talk to me about,” Luke asked wanting to change the subject and hurry this dinner along.
Henry arrived at that moment to drop off Noah’s soda and one for Luke as well.
“Thanks Henry,” Luke smiled at the older man.
“No problem, Luke. Are you two ready to order?”
“Yes,” Luke replied.
“No,” Noah responded at exactly the same time.
Luke and Henry stared at Noah wondering what his problem was.
“I need a moment to look things over,” he replied defensively squinting at the menu.
Luke sighed. “Please give us a moment.”
“No problem, I’ll be right back.”
As soon as Henry left, Noah put down his menu.
“Have you decided what you want for dinner?” Luke asked with a sigh.
“Yes, I’m going to have my usual,” Noah stated. “I wanted to talk to you before we ordered.”
“Okay,” Luke agreed, sighing heavily, “but can we please order soon, I’m starving.” I want to get out of here and see Reid before it gets too late.
Noah squinted at Luke. “What’s your hurry? I thought that you wanted to have dinner with me,” Noah pouted.
“I’m happy to be here with you Noah,” Luke lied, “but I’m really hungry.”
“Okay, we can order when Henry comes back,” Noah acquiesced. “Now, first of all I wanted to ask you if your Grandma Emma is alright.”
“Grandma Emma?” Luke asked shock clearly evident in his voice. “She’s fine, Noah. Why do you ask?”
“Well, I stopped by the house the other day to talk to you, and she wouldn’t let me in,” Noah explained, still incredulous at Emma’s treatment of him.
“We were having a family dinner,” Luke explained quietly.
“Yes, I know. That’s what she said, but she wouldn’t let me in,” Noah repeated, his voice full of indignation.
“Well, Noah, she knows that we’re not together anymore and so she no longer considers you family.”
Noah squinted at Luke in disbelief. “She doesn’t think of me as part of the family anymore? Are you sure? Did Reid insist that your family disown me?” Noah asked his voice rising with each question. “Oh my God, Luke can’t you see that he’s manipulating you and your whole family? This is worse than I thought. I mean it’s one thing for you to have a meaningless fling with him, I could forgive that, but his turning your family against me?? Well that’s just unconscionable.”
Henry rushed over. “Is everything alright over here?” he asked looking at Luke to make sure that he was okay.
“Um yes Henry, sorry about the scene,” Luke responded looking pointedly at Noah. “We’re ready to order. I’m going to have the chilli and a side order of cornbread, while Noah is going to have a double cheeseburger with fries, well done.”
“I’ll get right on it,” Henry replied rushing off to the kitchen to put their order in.
“Noah, listen to me, are you listening?” Noah nodded. “Reid is not turning anyone against you, and neither am I. My family loves you, I love you, but not in the same way that we did before. You are no longer part of my family, because you chose not to be with me. Reid had nothing to do with that decision. He would never ask my family to cut you out of their lives. He’s not that kind of man. As far as I know, Grandma Emma just thought it would be better for everyone,” Luke paused meaningfully, “if we talked at a different time, rather than in the middle of a family dinner. Reid was there for the first time and my family was just getting to know him.”
“What???” Noah asked clearly shocked by this revelation. “I thought that I had seen Reid, but then I concluded that I must have been mistaken. How could Emma let Reid in and not me? That’s inconceivable.”
“Noah, haven’t you been listening? Reid is my boyfriend; you know what that means to me and to my family. Of course she would include him.” Luke stated wondering if any of this was sinking in to Noah’s brain. “By the way, Grandma Emma loves Reid, because he loves her food. They have truly bonded,” Luke commented with a dreamy smile on his face.
“Luke, snap out of it. Reid has you under his spell and you need to realize that he just isn’t good for you. You need to remember how great we were together. Luke we belong together, surely you know that.”
“Noah, we’re not good for each other. I want you to be happy and I know that you won’t be with me. We just don’t fit well together. You need someone who is more independent than I am. Someone who truly appreciates everything about you,” Luke said gently.
“You appreciated me. I know that you did. You were always supportive of me. Yes, sometimes you smothered me, but I’m sure that you are capable of doing better. I will just have to tell you whenever I feel that you are suffocating me, and then we’ll be fine,” Noah responded with a smug smile.
“Noah, you need to find someone that you don’t have to change. That’s why we’re not right for each other. I’m not saying this to hurt you; I’m saying it because it’s the truth.”
“Are you saying that Reid hasn’t tried to change you?” Noah asked his voice thick with disbelief. “You have changed, Luke, and not for the better, I might add.”
“I’m sorry that you feel that way,” Luke sighed.
Henry chose that moment to bring them their food. Luke was relieved to have the distraction.
“Thanks Henry,” Luke said sincerely.
“Do you need anything else?” Henry asked.
“I could use a refill of soda, please,” Luke replied.
“Me too,” Noah grunted.
Once Henry had gone, Noah looked over at Luke quizzically. He didn’t really want to tell Luke what Reid had said to him on that fateful day in Reid’s office, but he felt that he had no other choice.
“Luke, I don’t really know how to say this, but I feel that it’s something that you need to know. I think that this will change your opinion of Reid and shed some light onto his true character.”
“Noah, I really have no interest in hearing you criticize Reid. I know who he is. Nothing you say is going to change my opinion of him.”
“Please Luke; I really think that you need to hear this.”
Henry returned with their drinks and wanted to hear whatever Noah had to say about Reid, so he lingered close by.
“At my last appointment with Reid, he asked me if I had any questions and I said that I did. I wanted to know when he started to have feelings for you, and do you know what he said?”
Luke shook his head in response, but he was dying to hear the answer to that question.
“He said that it was the second or third time that he laid eyes on you,” Noah said triumphantly, squinting at Luke for emphasis.
“Wow,” Henry uttered, unable to stop himself.
“Wow,” Luke gasped overcome with emotion.
Noah smiled smugly at Luke, completely misreading Luke’s reaction.
“Don’t you see what this means, Luke? He liked you right from the beginning, that’s why he made me break up with you.”
“What are you talking about? Reid never asked you to break up with me, he simply asked you to keep me away from him. He wanted to focus on you, to give you the best care that he possible could. If he was attracted to me then it makes sense that I would have been a distraction,” Luke concluded. “He really is the most amazing doctor on the planet,” Luke finished with a dreamy look on his face.
“No, no, no, no,” Noah interrupted. “He’s not amazing, he’s manipulative. He took advantage of both of us. He knew that you were vulnerable after our break-up and took advantage of you. Don’t you see that?”
“Noah, you have to stop rewriting history, our history. He didn’t take advantage of me at all. He didn’t make a move on me until after you went on your date with Richard. We both saw you two at Al’s and I think that maybe that date gave Reid permission to kiss me.”
“What???” Noah spluttered out. “I told you that wasn’t a date. We were just two guys getting together.”
“On a date,” Luke insisted. “You can deny it all you like, but I saw you two together that night and your body language was screaming date, date, date!”
“What was a date?” a familiar voice asked.
“Reid,” Luke breathed, his face wreathed in smiles. “What are you doing here? Sit down.” Luke invited patting the seat beside him. “Are you hungry?”
Reid cocked an eyebrow at Luke, who grinned in response. “Of course I’m hungry,” he replied just before kissing Luke possessively on the lips.
Reid had been sitting in his office, stewing about Luke’s dinner with Noah. He knew that he shouldn’t barge in on them, but he couldn’t help himself. He was jealous. He didn’t like the idea of Luke being alone with Noah at all. So against his better judgement he found himself at Al’s. The first thing he heard was Luke talking about a date, and he didn’t like it at all. He was relieved when Luke smiled at him with his warm Lukian smile that always made him feel so damn happy. The fact that Noah looked distinctly annoyed to see Reid just emphasized that he had made the correct decision to join them.
“What the hell are you doing here, Oliver?” Noah snarled at Reid.
“I came here for dinner,” Reid answered calmly. “This is one of my favourite restaurants and Luke is one of my favourite people, so it was a no brainer for me!”
“This is a private dinner, why don’t you go and sit by yourself,” Noah recommended through gritted teeth.
“Noah,” Luke warned, narrowing his eyebrows. “If Reid moves to a different table, I’m going with him.”
“Luke,” Noah whined. “This was supposed to be our time.”
“What are you talking about? You wanted to talk to me and you have, is there anything else?”
“Anything else?” Noah gaped at Luke. “I want us to get back together, and you haven’t agreed to that yet.”
“Noah,” Luke responded as patiently as he could. “Reid is my boyfriend; you and I are not getting back together. Not now and not ever.”
Reid just grinned happily.
Luke looked exasperated.
Noah just gaped at Reid and Luke, unable to accept the truth.
Henry, who had watched Reid’s arrival with great interest, smiled and shook his head gleefully. He had never really forgiven Noah for the way that Noah had treated his baby sister, Maddie! Reid might not be his favourite person, but he had seen how caring Reid had been toward Luke and he knew that Luke deserved that.
Reid looked meaningfully at Luke and excused himself to use the restroom.
Two minutes later, Luke got up to join him.
Noah sat at the table wondering where it all went wrong, trying to figure out how to win Luke back.
“Reid,” Luke whispered as he knocked quietly on the bathroom door.
Reid opened the door, welcoming Luke in with a wicked grin on his face.
Luke hurried in and quickly locked the door behind him.
Reid immediately covered Luke’s mouth with his own and began kissing Luke in earnest.
While kissing Luke he began undoing the younger man’s clothes, first his shirt and then his pants. He tried to be gentle, not wanting to hurt Luke, but he was too turned on.
Luke moaned deeply into Reid’s mouth. Luke followed suit and quickly removed Reid’s clothing needing to be as close to the other man as possible.
Reid made that noise in the back of his throat the second that Luke’s hand wrapped itself around his penis. Reid jerked involuntarily needing to be closer to Luke.
Luke smiled against Reid’s mouth, never breaking the kiss and moved his hips closer to Reid. Reid moaned as Luke thrust his rock hard cock against Reid’s. Luke released Reid’s dick, only for a second, so that he could grab his own and rub them together. Reid’s hands immediately grasped Luke’s ass to bring their bodies closer together. Reid took his right hand and rubbed two of his fingers in the pre cum that was leaking from both of their aching cocks. Luke groaned in anticipation of what Reid was planning to do with those fingers. Reid smiled knowing that he was about to pleasure Luke.
Once his fingers were coated, Reid quickly inserted them into Luke’s throbbing hole.
“Fuck!” Luke muttered against Reid’s mouth willing himself to hold on a little bit longer.
Luke reached down with his other hand and grabbed Reid’s balls. Massaging them in the way that he knew Reid liked best.
Reid finally broke the kiss and bit down on Luke’s neck, hard as he came shooting ropes of come onto Luke’s torso. Reid knew that he was marking Luke. He needed to. He wanted to leave no doubt in Noah’s mind, as to whom Luke belonged.
Luke knew that Reid was marking him, and that knowledge propelled him into a mind blowing orgasm. The knowledge that Reid wanted people, especially Noah, to know that Luke was his, turned Luke on like nothing else.
Reid held Luke as he felt the other man’s orgasm rip through Luke’s body. He loved knowing that he could give Luke so much pleasure.
As they stood there grinning at each other, both covered in come, Luke sighed happily. “We probably shouldn’t have done that, but God I’m glad that we did,” he whispered sheepishly.
“Me too,” Reid replied seriously. “I love you, Luke.”
“I love you too,” Luke responded, before kissing Reid lovingly on the lips. “I think that we had better clean ourselves up, before we head back out there. Your dinner is probably waiting for you and I know how particular you are about your food,” Luke teased.
“This was more important than food,” Reid stated honestly.
Luke just smiled as he began to clean Reid’s chest.
Meanwhile, Noah was starting to get worried. “Henry, do you think that we should check on Luke? He’s been gone a really long time. Do you think that he’s okay?”
Henry just stared at Noah blankly. “I’m sure that they’re fine,” he replied.
“They? What do you mean by they?”
Oh my God!!! Is Noah really that thick? Oh well someone’s got to tell him and I guess that it’s going to be me.
“Luke and Reid are in the bathroom together,” Henry said meaningfully.
“What?” Noah asked feeling shocked. “Do you think that they’re fooling around in there?”
“Uh…yes,” Henry stated, relieved that he wasn’t going to have to go into more detail.
“No way,” Noah stated emphatically. “Luke would never do that to me. We’re here together. Reid is just getting in our way.”
Oh dear Lord! He really is obtuse!!
“Oh look, Noah, they’re back,” Henry announced, relieved that Noah would not be insisting that they go charging into the men’s room. Henry noticed the enormous hickey developing on Luke’s neck and wondered how Noah was going to respond to that.
“Are you okay?” Noah asked Luke, his voice full of concern.
Reid smirked.
“Yes Noah, I’m fine,” Luke replied feeling annoyed.
“Thank God, you were gone a long time and I was worried about you.”
Reid smirked again.
“Wha...what’s that on your neck?” Noah asked, finally noticing the rather large hickey adorning Luke’s neck.
“I think that’s the hickey that I just gave him,” Reid responded blandly.
Noah squinted at Luke and Reid, waiting for some kind of explanation that would erase the images that were playing in Noah’s mind. Oh my God, was Henry right? Did they just have sex in the bathroom? How could Luke do that to me??? Oh my God, I have to go. I can’t take this!!!
“I don’t know what just happened,” Noah paused and Reid opened his mouth to speak, but Noah put up a hand to stop him. “No, I don’t want to hear it Reid. Luke, we’ll talk another time,” he finished firmly. “Alone!” With that he picked up his jacket, threw some money on the table and stomped out of Al’s.
“Are you okay?” Reid asked Luke carefully.
Luke smiled winningly at Reid. “Never better,” he answered. “Now let’s see if we can find out what has happened to your food. You must be really hungry by now,” Luke said with a sly grin.
Reid chuckled as Henry brought over his food. “I kept this warm while you were uh… indisposed,” Henry said with a wink.
“Thanks Hank!” Reid replied and tucked into his food.