Left and Right: Chapter Four
Title: Left and Right (multi-chapter)
Author: dolce_amore
Summary: Reid injures himself in an accident six months after starting a relationship with Luke. This is the story of how Reid and Luke handle it.
Genre/Type: Romance/Drama/Future-Fic
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own As the World Turns, it’s characters, or it’s settings. Though if you know where I can buy a Reid, please let me know. ☺
Disclaimer #2: Chapter titles are all lyrics taken from songs. I take no credit for them. They are being used for entertainment purposes only. All rights go to the artists that first penned them. ☺
Characters/Pairings in this chapter: Luke/Reid, Katie/Chris, Hank
Author's Notes: This is my Big Bang fic for LROnline. It's 23 chapters, though, so I figured I'd break it up instead of posting all the chapters at once. Enjoy! Comments = love.
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Four: Our Lives are Changing Lanes, You Ran Me Off the Road
Chris walked to the center of the room and dinged his spoon against his champagne glass. “Everyone? Can I have your attention for just a moment?”
Reid groaned as he turned around on the barstool along with Luke and Henry to face Chris. “Can your New Year’s resolution be to not make obnoxious toasts at town gatherings anymore?”
“Can your New Years resolution be not to act obnoxious period?” Chris shot back.
Reid narrowed his eyes at Luke as he snickered. “He won that round. Sorry,” Luke said.
The room settled down, all eyes on Chris.
“Katie? Come here, sweetheart,” Chris said. She walked over to him cautiously, blushing so badly the redness streaked her neck.
“What are you doing?” she asked in a whisper.
He took her hands, smiling earnestly. “Katie, I love you. You are the absolute light of my life, you’re my air, my angel.”
Reid rolled his eyes. “Oh Jesus,” he murmured under his breath.
“And, in front of our family in friends, I wanted to ask you for your hand in marriage,” Chris said as he got down on one knee. “I was picking the ring out for you earlier, that’s why I wasn’t at work,” he explained, shooting Reid look as he pulled a red box from his pocket.
Both Reid’s and Henry’s eyes widened. “You have got to be kidding me,” they sputtered simultaneously.
Katie stood before Chris, frozen. She gave Reid a helpless look. “I… I’m sorry, I need to get some air,” she said frantically. She grabbed Reid’s hand and tugged him out into the front entrance of Metro.
“What are you doing?” Reid asked, his ‘what the fuck?’ face in full effect.
“I don’t know! I don’t know. Reid, he just asked me to marry him.”
“Thanks. Now I’ll be nauseous even longer than I thought I’d be upon hearing it the first time,” he replied.
She sighed desperately. “Reid! I don’t want to hurt him. I love him. But I don’t want to say yes! I’m not ready!” she exclaimed, tears creeping up in her eyes.
“Then don’t say yes!” Reid replied, as though the answer was simple.
“How would you feel if you asked Luke to marry you and he said no?”
“I’d say ‘good, since we can’t get married in Illinois anyway’?” Reid cracked.
“I’m serious. It’s a big deal, Reid. Turning down a marriage proposal can destroy a relationship. And I can’t lose another man I love, I…” she burst into tears, leaning into Reid. He put an arm around her, patting her back in his awkward but good-intentioned way.
Maybe marriage was for some people, but when you’re not given the right to be married like everyone else, your perspective of the entire institution differed from the norm - Reid’s did, anyway. He would spend every day into infinity with Luke just because he wanted to. Being bound to him by a piece of paper, while nice and official sounding, and surely something Luke would eventually want being the diehard romantic he was, just wasn’t something Reid needed. If he ever married Luke it would be because Luke expressed a desire to be married. It didn’t matter one way or the other to Reid - he had Luke all the same. At the moment, in Illinois, at least, he had no choice but to think that way. It was ridiculous and quite frankly aggravating to think that those privileged with the right to be married would abuse it and throw away a good relationship just because their significant other wasn’t ready to take the plunge. It didn’t make them any less committed.
“If he gets mad at you for not being ready to marry him then screw him, he’s not worth it. If he can go from wanting to spend his life with you one minute to dumping you the next for not being ready… give me a break.” Reid said.
Katie bit her lip. “You know what? You’re right.”
“I know,” Reid said casually.
She kissed his cheek. “Thank you. I know you don’t like this emotional stuff, I just really needed someone to talk to, and I really wanted that someone to be you. You just… you get ‘it’, the bigger picture, better than anyone I’ve ever met,” she said.
“Just don’t say a word of that to Hank or he’ll be crushed,” he said dryly.
She laughed, wiping away her tears. “I guess I should go back in. God, I don’t even know what to tell him.” she said nervously.
“Tell him you can’t marry him because his performance in bed doesn’t hold a candle to the countless nights of passionate love making you and I have shared,” Reid replied.
“You’re so helpful.”
“Mm-hmm. It’s a part of my getting the ‘bigger picture’ ability, I suspect.”
He opened the door and followed Katie back into the main part of the club. He resumed his spot sitting between Luke and Henry.
“What was that about?” Luke whispered.
“You’ll see,” Reid replied. He eyed up the plate in Luke’s hand. “Hey, what are they?” he asked, pointing circles around the food.
“Blue cheese tartlets,” Luke replied.
Reid took a few from Luke’s plate, stuffing them in his mouth. Luke just shook his head, laughing.
“What happened? What happened? Is she okay? Is she going to say yes? Tell me!” Henry yelped spastically in Reid’s ear.
Reid winced at his yelling. “First, let’s use our inside voice, Hank. And second, as I’ve reminded you a myriad of times before - just breathe.”
Henry grumbled and turned his attention to Katie, who walked hesitantly back to Chris.
Katie let out a sigh. He looked at her, eyes desperate and anxious.
“Chris, I love you so much. And I love that you wanted to ask me to marry you in front of our loved ones. I can’t accept, though. I love you and I want to be with you, but I’m just not ready to get married again. Not yet, anyway. I hope you understand.”
Reid smiled proudly. “That’s what that was about,” he murmured to Luke.
Chris stood before Katie and the rest of the crowd with his mouth gaping.
“Oh,” he said. “Well - alright.”
“No hard feelings, right? Are we okay? I don’t want to hurt you, or us.” Katie squeezed his hand, hope, love and fear in her eyes all at once.
Chris gave her a reluctant smile. “Of course, sweetheart. We’re in no rush.”
The voice of Dusty Donovan, Metro’s owner, came bellowing through the microphone. “One minute until we start the countdown to midnight!”
Reid gazed back over at Katie and Chris. Before Luke he would’ve never considered marriage under any circumstances. Now, though he hated to admit such weakness, he really would do anything for Luke, including getting married someday. They never talked about it - their relationship needed no signed commitments or binding vows. Both would be there to wake up next to one another, same time, same place (unless there was some kind of hospital emergency, of course). And that was all that they needed. Truthfully, making it legal with Luke never even crossed his mind before witnessing this near-engagement with him. Getting married was a big deal to people, especially the dreamers like Katie and Luke. Reid now couldn’t help but wonder if Luke had thought about marriage himself. He hoped that if he had, Luke would have the good sense to bring it up in conversation. He knew Reid wasn’t good on picking up on little hints and uncovering buried emotions. Luke did know that, right?
The ten-second countdown began, which Luke happily chimed along with. Reid just smiled as he quietly watched. The crowd yelled “Happy New Year!” At that Reid placed a hand on either side of Luke’s face and planted a long, deep kiss upon his lips. He pulled away and laughed, as Luke looked just as shocked as he did the first time he kissed him. “That’s what couples do at midnight on New Year’s, right?”
Luke nodded breathlessly. “Uh-huh. Happy 2011, Dr. Oliver,” Luke said airily before pecking Reid on the lips once more.
“Happy 2011, Mr. Snyder,” Reid replied.
Author: dolce_amore
Summary: Reid injures himself in an accident six months after starting a relationship with Luke. This is the story of how Reid and Luke handle it.
Genre/Type: Romance/Drama/Future-Fic
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own As the World Turns, it’s characters, or it’s settings. Though if you know where I can buy a Reid, please let me know. ☺
Disclaimer #2: Chapter titles are all lyrics taken from songs. I take no credit for them. They are being used for entertainment purposes only. All rights go to the artists that first penned them. ☺
Characters/Pairings in this chapter: Luke/Reid, Katie/Chris, Hank
Author's Notes: This is my Big Bang fic for LROnline. It's 23 chapters, though, so I figured I'd break it up instead of posting all the chapters at once. Enjoy! Comments = love.
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Four: Our Lives are Changing Lanes, You Ran Me Off the Road
Chris walked to the center of the room and dinged his spoon against his champagne glass. “Everyone? Can I have your attention for just a moment?”
Reid groaned as he turned around on the barstool along with Luke and Henry to face Chris. “Can your New Year’s resolution be to not make obnoxious toasts at town gatherings anymore?”
“Can your New Years resolution be not to act obnoxious period?” Chris shot back.
Reid narrowed his eyes at Luke as he snickered. “He won that round. Sorry,” Luke said.
The room settled down, all eyes on Chris.
“Katie? Come here, sweetheart,” Chris said. She walked over to him cautiously, blushing so badly the redness streaked her neck.
“What are you doing?” she asked in a whisper.
He took her hands, smiling earnestly. “Katie, I love you. You are the absolute light of my life, you’re my air, my angel.”
Reid rolled his eyes. “Oh Jesus,” he murmured under his breath.
“And, in front of our family in friends, I wanted to ask you for your hand in marriage,” Chris said as he got down on one knee. “I was picking the ring out for you earlier, that’s why I wasn’t at work,” he explained, shooting Reid look as he pulled a red box from his pocket.
Both Reid’s and Henry’s eyes widened. “You have got to be kidding me,” they sputtered simultaneously.
Katie stood before Chris, frozen. She gave Reid a helpless look. “I… I’m sorry, I need to get some air,” she said frantically. She grabbed Reid’s hand and tugged him out into the front entrance of Metro.
“What are you doing?” Reid asked, his ‘what the fuck?’ face in full effect.
“I don’t know! I don’t know. Reid, he just asked me to marry him.”
“Thanks. Now I’ll be nauseous even longer than I thought I’d be upon hearing it the first time,” he replied.
She sighed desperately. “Reid! I don’t want to hurt him. I love him. But I don’t want to say yes! I’m not ready!” she exclaimed, tears creeping up in her eyes.
“Then don’t say yes!” Reid replied, as though the answer was simple.
“How would you feel if you asked Luke to marry you and he said no?”
“I’d say ‘good, since we can’t get married in Illinois anyway’?” Reid cracked.
“I’m serious. It’s a big deal, Reid. Turning down a marriage proposal can destroy a relationship. And I can’t lose another man I love, I…” she burst into tears, leaning into Reid. He put an arm around her, patting her back in his awkward but good-intentioned way.
Maybe marriage was for some people, but when you’re not given the right to be married like everyone else, your perspective of the entire institution differed from the norm - Reid’s did, anyway. He would spend every day into infinity with Luke just because he wanted to. Being bound to him by a piece of paper, while nice and official sounding, and surely something Luke would eventually want being the diehard romantic he was, just wasn’t something Reid needed. If he ever married Luke it would be because Luke expressed a desire to be married. It didn’t matter one way or the other to Reid - he had Luke all the same. At the moment, in Illinois, at least, he had no choice but to think that way. It was ridiculous and quite frankly aggravating to think that those privileged with the right to be married would abuse it and throw away a good relationship just because their significant other wasn’t ready to take the plunge. It didn’t make them any less committed.
“If he gets mad at you for not being ready to marry him then screw him, he’s not worth it. If he can go from wanting to spend his life with you one minute to dumping you the next for not being ready… give me a break.” Reid said.
Katie bit her lip. “You know what? You’re right.”
“I know,” Reid said casually.
She kissed his cheek. “Thank you. I know you don’t like this emotional stuff, I just really needed someone to talk to, and I really wanted that someone to be you. You just… you get ‘it’, the bigger picture, better than anyone I’ve ever met,” she said.
“Just don’t say a word of that to Hank or he’ll be crushed,” he said dryly.
She laughed, wiping away her tears. “I guess I should go back in. God, I don’t even know what to tell him.” she said nervously.
“Tell him you can’t marry him because his performance in bed doesn’t hold a candle to the countless nights of passionate love making you and I have shared,” Reid replied.
“You’re so helpful.”
“Mm-hmm. It’s a part of my getting the ‘bigger picture’ ability, I suspect.”
He opened the door and followed Katie back into the main part of the club. He resumed his spot sitting between Luke and Henry.
“What was that about?” Luke whispered.
“You’ll see,” Reid replied. He eyed up the plate in Luke’s hand. “Hey, what are they?” he asked, pointing circles around the food.
“Blue cheese tartlets,” Luke replied.
Reid took a few from Luke’s plate, stuffing them in his mouth. Luke just shook his head, laughing.
“What happened? What happened? Is she okay? Is she going to say yes? Tell me!” Henry yelped spastically in Reid’s ear.
Reid winced at his yelling. “First, let’s use our inside voice, Hank. And second, as I’ve reminded you a myriad of times before - just breathe.”
Henry grumbled and turned his attention to Katie, who walked hesitantly back to Chris.
Katie let out a sigh. He looked at her, eyes desperate and anxious.
“Chris, I love you so much. And I love that you wanted to ask me to marry you in front of our loved ones. I can’t accept, though. I love you and I want to be with you, but I’m just not ready to get married again. Not yet, anyway. I hope you understand.”
Reid smiled proudly. “That’s what that was about,” he murmured to Luke.
Chris stood before Katie and the rest of the crowd with his mouth gaping.
“Oh,” he said. “Well - alright.”
“No hard feelings, right? Are we okay? I don’t want to hurt you, or us.” Katie squeezed his hand, hope, love and fear in her eyes all at once.
Chris gave her a reluctant smile. “Of course, sweetheart. We’re in no rush.”
The voice of Dusty Donovan, Metro’s owner, came bellowing through the microphone. “One minute until we start the countdown to midnight!”
Reid gazed back over at Katie and Chris. Before Luke he would’ve never considered marriage under any circumstances. Now, though he hated to admit such weakness, he really would do anything for Luke, including getting married someday. They never talked about it - their relationship needed no signed commitments or binding vows. Both would be there to wake up next to one another, same time, same place (unless there was some kind of hospital emergency, of course). And that was all that they needed. Truthfully, making it legal with Luke never even crossed his mind before witnessing this near-engagement with him. Getting married was a big deal to people, especially the dreamers like Katie and Luke. Reid now couldn’t help but wonder if Luke had thought about marriage himself. He hoped that if he had, Luke would have the good sense to bring it up in conversation. He knew Reid wasn’t good on picking up on little hints and uncovering buried emotions. Luke did know that, right?
The ten-second countdown began, which Luke happily chimed along with. Reid just smiled as he quietly watched. The crowd yelled “Happy New Year!” At that Reid placed a hand on either side of Luke’s face and planted a long, deep kiss upon his lips. He pulled away and laughed, as Luke looked just as shocked as he did the first time he kissed him. “That’s what couples do at midnight on New Year’s, right?”
Luke nodded breathlessly. “Uh-huh. Happy 2011, Dr. Oliver,” Luke said airily before pecking Reid on the lips once more.
“Happy 2011, Mr. Snyder,” Reid replied.