It's all about symmetry FFF related (Say yes)
Author: scotianova
Title: It's all about symmetry
Disclaimer: I don't own them.
It's not revised, all mistakes are mine
Warnings: none
It's all about symmetry
“Say yes, please!“
Those huge dark-brown eyes were pleading as if his life depended on Reid giving in.
“Reid!!!”
Now the guy hauled out the big guns and started swaying back and forth invading the smaller man' private space.
Reid shook his head in disbelief - what was it with those Snyders that made him cave in - each and every time?
Maybe it was his destiny that he couldn’t say “NO” to them.
Not even to their most dangerous family member.
“Listen, Ethan, I don’t belong there, you do know that!”
“Oh, come on, Reid - you can’t be serious - it’s been 8 years.”
“He doesn’t want me there - and your mother either!”
“First of all, this isn’t about HIM, this is about me - and without you I wouldn’t have been able to graduate - never! So please, celebrate with me that fucking graduation!" - you made the major contribution to.”
“Don’t sell yourself so low.” At least Reid smiled now.
“It’s about time, Reid, to leave the past behind…as I said before 8 years! You come, right?”
“I guess I could do that, munchkin!” Reid told the young man who stood head and shoulders above him.
God, what did he get himself into again? But could he actually say no since the persistent guy had hopped on the plane and come here to persuade him to take part in his big fat graduating celebration?
Sure, when the youngest Snyder graduated all the others freaked out.
Well, when Faith graduated he was there, but he’d still been part of her life then.
The year Natalie graduated he’d already been out of the picture - because even if he was literally incapable of refusing anything to anyone who had those eyes and bore the name Snyder (the “matron against her will” might be the only exception - maybe) the one he’d surrendered to desolately had said NO to him. Clear and loud, unmistakably - after being together for four years.
“Don’t go there”, Reid admonished himself silently, Ethan was right, it had been 8 years, time to move on, even for someone who clung to the ones he loved like nobody else.
“Have you cleared this with him?”
“…sure.”
Focused on what was lying ahead Reid might have missed the imperceptible flinch and hesitation on Ethan’s side.
<><><>
“Did you know he’s coming?”
Luke was speechless.
“Yes, I knew.” His mother told him totally unimpressed.
“Ethan was absolutely clear about it - without Reid coming there wouldn’t be a celebration because without Reid there would have been no graduation.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“…you remember Ethan’s preparatory courses he worked through summer break and winter break…”
“… and every break over the last year might have been in Boston.” Natalie chimed in.
“… and I mightn’t have gotten into Harvard either- without his help.” She added.
“And you all hid that from me why?”
“Because you are a total dickhead all the time when it comes to Reid!”
Natalie’s voice might have become a bit harsh.
“And I have every reason to…”
“Really? Maybe that’s a matter of opinion.”
With that Luke’s lovely sister swanned away and joined Katie and Reid who seemed absorbed in a private conversation.
Luke shook his head. He and Reid hadn’t talked in years and his Ex had tutored his siblings all the while and neither of them - not even his mother - bothered to tell him about it.
“You know, just because you broke up with him, the kids didn’t understand why they should too.”
His mother’s soft voice interrupted his musing unexpectedly.
“And this is coming from you…you never liked him, Mum.”
“Maybe Reid and I had a very difficult start and probably we won’t ever be the other one’s favorite person, but even I can see, that he is a good man.”
Reid was a good man, and a handsome one. Still was. Maybe he was even hotter now, with his lean form, his auburn curls now brightened by some white strands and those rimless glasses that made him look so fucking intellectual and sexy..
When Reid took off his glasses to rub them clean with a cloth Luke couldn’t help staring at his beautiful fingers that had stroked and caressed him into oblivion countless times. and now they were firmly rubbing glasses, Luke was sure weren’t fogged-up at all. Reid finished his cleaning and slipped the cloth back into the pocket of his suit. It was a nice suit, dove-gray, a color that fitted Reid just fine and Luke wanted nothing more than to be that small cloth safely buried in Reid’s pocket. He would snuggle up the soft tissue, caress it with his fingertips, and try its solidity.
He knew it was up to him to make the first move. It was him who had to approach the other man and say hello since it was him who had dismissed the other man and chased him out of his life.
“You’re sure about it? Just asking to be sure myself.” Reid had been so calm, he definitely had made up his mind. He wouldn’t cave in this time.
“Yes, I am sure.”
“So then that’s it” Reid had whispered and moved out of town a month later.
…
“Why is this so important to you, Luke? You know how I think about it, why do you try to pressure me into anything I don’t want?”
“It’s important to me, very important and if you love me…”
“Stop it, Luke. I do love you, more than you will ever know, and each and every time you coaxed me into something I gave in eventually. But not this time. This is a fundamental issue, who were I if I let you talk me into that shindig? Why do you want it anyway, how could we be more committed than we already are?”
“It’s about going out there and say it out loud, confess ourselves to each other in front of all the people - to the world if you want to call it that way. This is about standing up for each other.”
“Everyone who knows us, who knows me, knows that I love you, that I'd stand up for you every time you needed me. If you don’t know that by now, you don’t know me at all.”
“So why can’t you do me that small favor?”
“Because it would be a lie, Luke! I don’t believe in ceremonies and in some papers either. If we are not meant to last no paper, no vow is going to change that. And, and I can’t let you blackmail me into this, I just can’t - not this time! End of story!”
End of story! It was actually what had happened then.
But how could a story end that wasn’t told to the end?
Well after leaving Reid had expected Luke to get married to some random lover in a minimum of time just to prove himself right.
Yet Luke didn’t.
He didn’t marry; neither got involved in earnest anymore.
And Luke had assumed that Reid would never get involved anymore.
Yet Reid did.
He had been together with two men but he hadn’t been seeing anyone for the last two years.
Sometimes people just didn’t live up to anyone’s expectations.
Luke took the deepest breath of his life. He knew he had been the idiot causing what haunted him for eight years now. But knowing he’d been the fool didn’t make it easier to move his feet towards the one he missed so desperately and nothing he had done to get about him hadn’t helped a bit.
“Just make the first step, Honey - it’s the hardest one but with each step it gets easier!”
Who would have ever thought that his mother encouraged him to approach Reid of all men?
Unaware of seven pairs of eyes silently cheering him up, Luke took another deepest breath and cleared his throat:
“Hi…”.
It wasn’t what he wanted to say, it wasn’t a brilliant approach. But it was something, right?
It was two letters, maybe the most important he’d ever gotten out.
Reid turned in slow-motion, however he turned and faced him.
“Hello, Luke!”
There it was - Reid accentuating the last syllable.
The redhead smiled - a good or a bad sign?
It could be a bad indicating he was totally over Luke.
But it could be a good one too, indicating Luke was forgiven.
Why isn’t there a manual to tell how to act in those historic situations? What to say, how to move, how to look, how to choose appropriate words?
“I’ve heard you developed a new procedure … “
Raising his brows Red didn’t seem to know what Luke was talking about.
“I have developed a lot of procedures, so…”
“But … I am afraid you haven’t found the clue to cure morons?”
“Excuse me?”
Now Reid seemed irritated, since he surely hadn’t expected to be offended the first time they met after so many years.
“I am talking about me and the idiotic dwarf residing my brain telling me love only lasted when officially documented and sealed…back then” Luke added instantly recognizing the unmistakable frown appearing on Reid’s forehead.
Reid just stared him down, his face without expression now.
God, this was hard, okay, change the subject, Luke!
“Thank you for helping Ethan - I had no idea…”
“Welcome…”
“I miss you…”
What was that?
Katie choked and Reid still stared, unfazed.
“I really do, actually I missed you every second of those damn 8 years.”
“Well then your way of showing was unique!”
“Yeah, I know, first I was out of my mind, then I was devastated, and after that just ashamed.”
“Guys, how about I let you have this conversation in private?” Katie finally suggested and turned away without waiting for an answer.
The following hours Reid and Luke were missing but Ethan’s party went on just exuberantly. Well, the littlest Snyder leaving for college, right?
It had been Reid’s ongoing, unagitated encouragement and long hours of patiently explaining the secrets of geometry, algebra, science, theory of grammar and even literature that finally got Ethan through his exams.The silvery redhead was especially proud of Ethan getting an A for their co-work on a presentation about Shakespeare’s
“Much Ado About Nothing”. Ethan hadn’t asked Luke for help but Reid and that meant more to the secret tutor than anything else.
So the two men were missing but they weren’t missed.
When midnight approached the three main cupids became increasingly curious though.
“Do you think they are making out?”
“Probably - if they were fighting Luke would have stomped into the hall with his most delicious bitch-face and Reid would have texted Katie and left. But Katie is still around having a great time.”
“Let’s look for them then.”
And there they were, slouching on the bench in Old Town like teenagers and kissing as if nothing else mattered - totally oblivious of all around them.
What had Reid taught Ethan? That the most amazing things (the brain, verses, arithmetic and everything else) are about symmetry.
“Thanks to us, their symmetry is finally restored!”
“You’re such a weirdo, Eth!” Natalie whispered and pulled her brother with her to join the rest of the family and tell them the good news.
Luke and Reid had broken up 8 years ago because the blond had forgotten how happy he’d been with Reid so far and they reunited the night of Ethan’s graduation-party because the red-haired never forgot the same issue.
“Are still into that marriage thing?” Reid whispered nibbling at Luke’s jaw.
“Yes, but I am more into you.”
Title: It's all about symmetry
Disclaimer: I don't own them.
It's not revised, all mistakes are mine
Warnings: none
It's all about symmetry
“Say yes, please!“
Those huge dark-brown eyes were pleading as if his life depended on Reid giving in.
“Reid!!!”
Now the guy hauled out the big guns and started swaying back and forth invading the smaller man' private space.
Reid shook his head in disbelief - what was it with those Snyders that made him cave in - each and every time?
Maybe it was his destiny that he couldn’t say “NO” to them.
Not even to their most dangerous family member.
“Listen, Ethan, I don’t belong there, you do know that!”
“Oh, come on, Reid - you can’t be serious - it’s been 8 years.”
“He doesn’t want me there - and your mother either!”
“First of all, this isn’t about HIM, this is about me - and without you I wouldn’t have been able to graduate - never! So please, celebrate with me that fucking graduation!" - you made the major contribution to.”
“Don’t sell yourself so low.” At least Reid smiled now.
“It’s about time, Reid, to leave the past behind…as I said before 8 years! You come, right?”
“I guess I could do that, munchkin!” Reid told the young man who stood head and shoulders above him.
God, what did he get himself into again? But could he actually say no since the persistent guy had hopped on the plane and come here to persuade him to take part in his big fat graduating celebration?
Sure, when the youngest Snyder graduated all the others freaked out.
Well, when Faith graduated he was there, but he’d still been part of her life then.
The year Natalie graduated he’d already been out of the picture - because even if he was literally incapable of refusing anything to anyone who had those eyes and bore the name Snyder (the “matron against her will” might be the only exception - maybe) the one he’d surrendered to desolately had said NO to him. Clear and loud, unmistakably - after being together for four years.
“Don’t go there”, Reid admonished himself silently, Ethan was right, it had been 8 years, time to move on, even for someone who clung to the ones he loved like nobody else.
“Have you cleared this with him?”
“…sure.”
Focused on what was lying ahead Reid might have missed the imperceptible flinch and hesitation on Ethan’s side.
<><><>
“Did you know he’s coming?”
Luke was speechless.
“Yes, I knew.” His mother told him totally unimpressed.
“Ethan was absolutely clear about it - without Reid coming there wouldn’t be a celebration because without Reid there would have been no graduation.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“…you remember Ethan’s preparatory courses he worked through summer break and winter break…”
“… and every break over the last year might have been in Boston.” Natalie chimed in.
“… and I mightn’t have gotten into Harvard either- without his help.” She added.
“And you all hid that from me why?”
“Because you are a total dickhead all the time when it comes to Reid!”
Natalie’s voice might have become a bit harsh.
“And I have every reason to…”
“Really? Maybe that’s a matter of opinion.”
With that Luke’s lovely sister swanned away and joined Katie and Reid who seemed absorbed in a private conversation.
Luke shook his head. He and Reid hadn’t talked in years and his Ex had tutored his siblings all the while and neither of them - not even his mother - bothered to tell him about it.
“You know, just because you broke up with him, the kids didn’t understand why they should too.”
His mother’s soft voice interrupted his musing unexpectedly.
“And this is coming from you…you never liked him, Mum.”
“Maybe Reid and I had a very difficult start and probably we won’t ever be the other one’s favorite person, but even I can see, that he is a good man.”
Reid was a good man, and a handsome one. Still was. Maybe he was even hotter now, with his lean form, his auburn curls now brightened by some white strands and those rimless glasses that made him look so fucking intellectual and sexy..
When Reid took off his glasses to rub them clean with a cloth Luke couldn’t help staring at his beautiful fingers that had stroked and caressed him into oblivion countless times. and now they were firmly rubbing glasses, Luke was sure weren’t fogged-up at all. Reid finished his cleaning and slipped the cloth back into the pocket of his suit. It was a nice suit, dove-gray, a color that fitted Reid just fine and Luke wanted nothing more than to be that small cloth safely buried in Reid’s pocket. He would snuggle up the soft tissue, caress it with his fingertips, and try its solidity.
He knew it was up to him to make the first move. It was him who had to approach the other man and say hello since it was him who had dismissed the other man and chased him out of his life.
“You’re sure about it? Just asking to be sure myself.” Reid had been so calm, he definitely had made up his mind. He wouldn’t cave in this time.
“Yes, I am sure.”
“So then that’s it” Reid had whispered and moved out of town a month later.
…
“Why is this so important to you, Luke? You know how I think about it, why do you try to pressure me into anything I don’t want?”
“It’s important to me, very important and if you love me…”
“Stop it, Luke. I do love you, more than you will ever know, and each and every time you coaxed me into something I gave in eventually. But not this time. This is a fundamental issue, who were I if I let you talk me into that shindig? Why do you want it anyway, how could we be more committed than we already are?”
“It’s about going out there and say it out loud, confess ourselves to each other in front of all the people - to the world if you want to call it that way. This is about standing up for each other.”
“Everyone who knows us, who knows me, knows that I love you, that I'd stand up for you every time you needed me. If you don’t know that by now, you don’t know me at all.”
“So why can’t you do me that small favor?”
“Because it would be a lie, Luke! I don’t believe in ceremonies and in some papers either. If we are not meant to last no paper, no vow is going to change that. And, and I can’t let you blackmail me into this, I just can’t - not this time! End of story!”
End of story! It was actually what had happened then.
But how could a story end that wasn’t told to the end?
Well after leaving Reid had expected Luke to get married to some random lover in a minimum of time just to prove himself right.
Yet Luke didn’t.
He didn’t marry; neither got involved in earnest anymore.
And Luke had assumed that Reid would never get involved anymore.
Yet Reid did.
He had been together with two men but he hadn’t been seeing anyone for the last two years.
Sometimes people just didn’t live up to anyone’s expectations.
Luke took the deepest breath of his life. He knew he had been the idiot causing what haunted him for eight years now. But knowing he’d been the fool didn’t make it easier to move his feet towards the one he missed so desperately and nothing he had done to get about him hadn’t helped a bit.
“Just make the first step, Honey - it’s the hardest one but with each step it gets easier!”
Who would have ever thought that his mother encouraged him to approach Reid of all men?
Unaware of seven pairs of eyes silently cheering him up, Luke took another deepest breath and cleared his throat:
“Hi…”.
It wasn’t what he wanted to say, it wasn’t a brilliant approach. But it was something, right?
It was two letters, maybe the most important he’d ever gotten out.
Reid turned in slow-motion, however he turned and faced him.
“Hello, Luke!”
There it was - Reid accentuating the last syllable.
The redhead smiled - a good or a bad sign?
It could be a bad indicating he was totally over Luke.
But it could be a good one too, indicating Luke was forgiven.
Why isn’t there a manual to tell how to act in those historic situations? What to say, how to move, how to look, how to choose appropriate words?
“I’ve heard you developed a new procedure … “
Raising his brows Red didn’t seem to know what Luke was talking about.
“I have developed a lot of procedures, so…”
“But … I am afraid you haven’t found the clue to cure morons?”
“Excuse me?”
Now Reid seemed irritated, since he surely hadn’t expected to be offended the first time they met after so many years.
“I am talking about me and the idiotic dwarf residing my brain telling me love only lasted when officially documented and sealed…back then” Luke added instantly recognizing the unmistakable frown appearing on Reid’s forehead.
Reid just stared him down, his face without expression now.
God, this was hard, okay, change the subject, Luke!
“Thank you for helping Ethan - I had no idea…”
“Welcome…”
“I miss you…”
What was that?
Katie choked and Reid still stared, unfazed.
“I really do, actually I missed you every second of those damn 8 years.”
“Well then your way of showing was unique!”
“Yeah, I know, first I was out of my mind, then I was devastated, and after that just ashamed.”
“Guys, how about I let you have this conversation in private?” Katie finally suggested and turned away without waiting for an answer.
The following hours Reid and Luke were missing but Ethan’s party went on just exuberantly. Well, the littlest Snyder leaving for college, right?
It had been Reid’s ongoing, unagitated encouragement and long hours of patiently explaining the secrets of geometry, algebra, science, theory of grammar and even literature that finally got Ethan through his exams.The silvery redhead was especially proud of Ethan getting an A for their co-work on a presentation about Shakespeare’s
“Much Ado About Nothing”. Ethan hadn’t asked Luke for help but Reid and that meant more to the secret tutor than anything else.
So the two men were missing but they weren’t missed.
When midnight approached the three main cupids became increasingly curious though.
“Do you think they are making out?”
“Probably - if they were fighting Luke would have stomped into the hall with his most delicious bitch-face and Reid would have texted Katie and left. But Katie is still around having a great time.”
“Let’s look for them then.”
And there they were, slouching on the bench in Old Town like teenagers and kissing as if nothing else mattered - totally oblivious of all around them.
What had Reid taught Ethan? That the most amazing things (the brain, verses, arithmetic and everything else) are about symmetry.
“Thanks to us, their symmetry is finally restored!”
“You’re such a weirdo, Eth!” Natalie whispered and pulled her brother with her to join the rest of the family and tell them the good news.
Luke and Reid had broken up 8 years ago because the blond had forgotten how happy he’d been with Reid so far and they reunited the night of Ethan’s graduation-party because the red-haired never forgot the same issue.
“Are still into that marriage thing?” Reid whispered nibbling at Luke’s jaw.
“Yes, but I am more into you.”