This Could Get Messy (Chapter 5)
"What happened? Tell me about it."
Luke jerked back harder from Reid's touch than he meant to.
"Dr. Oliver, forget it, you don't have to..."
"My name's Reid."
"Ya don't say?" Luke laughed a little.
"C'mon, talk to me. I don't do this very often...or ever really...so don't be an idiot. Take advantage of it."
"You're so charming, Dr. Oliver..." Luke rested his hand on his forehead.
"Reid."
"Yeah, right, got it," Luke said.
They sat silently for a few mintues, the jukebox playing a country song that Luke had never heard. "I did want to drink tonight; you're right."
Reid didn't say anything, just turned to look at Luke, who was looking blankly down at the table.
"My father called me this morning," Luke began. "Damien. He called from Malta. Apparently, he's free. Not surprising, really. Damien always finds a way."
"Is he on the run?" Reid asked.
"I didn't ask. Called me Luciano. I hate the way it sounds. I've told him over and over that I want to be called Luke, but he's never been able to respect that request."
"Are you scared of him?"
"Sometimes. He's capable of anything. I worry more for my mom and dad. The last time he was in the United States, he held my mother at gunpoint, and you saw how he faked his death. He's ruthless. He kidnapped me when I was younger. He kept my mother in a coma. I could go on...I can't believe his blood is in my veins."
"You're nothing like him, Luke."
"Really? You think so? He coached me in blackmail. How do you like that, Dr. Oliver?"
"Water under the bridge at this point, right?" Reid sighed and meant it.
"I worry that I'll turn out like him."
"Impossible," Reid said, shaking his head.
"You don't know me at all."
"I know that you use your powers for good instead of evil," Reid joked, nudging Luke's elbow. "I also know that you're generous with your money and your time, you are passionate, and your are loyal to a fault."
"Does it pain you to say these things about me?"
"Greatly." Reid pretended that he was sticking a knife in his chest.
"When he found out I was gay, he tried sending me to a gender realignment camp. He thought he could de-gay me. Can you believe that?"
"Yes, unfortunately, I can," Reid said scratching his head. "But your parents, the ones who raised you, they accepted you?"
"My dad, yes. It wasn't easy for him, but he tried. He never made me feel like less of a person. Mom...she took a little time to come around. But she's totally cool with it now."
"You're lucky." Reid braced his forehead with his hand.
"What about your parents?" Luke asked. "Are they cool with who you are?"
Reid sighed. "We don't talk about it. Ya know: Don't ask. Don't tell. My father has a really hard time with it. My mom...she sees it as the lossof grandchildren, I think. I guess I should be thankful that they finally stopped trying to set me up with women."
"That sucks." Luke said, nodding knowingly.
"What sucks is that once they stopped trying to set me up with women, once they FINALLY realized I wasn't going to bring a girl home to meet them, they just stopped asking about my personal life all together. I keep hoping that one day they're going to call and ask if I'm seeing anyone. Ask if I'm happy, for Christ's sake."
"Are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Happy?"
"How the hell should I know? But ya know what pisses me off about it the most? It's the fact that my being gay overshadows everything else in my father's eyes. I went to college at 16, graduated summa-freaking-cum laude from Harvard, I'm a goddamned neurosurgeon..."
"World class," Luke added.
"Damn straight. World class mother fucking neurosurgeon...but when it comes right down to it, he can't even enjoy that, have pride in it...because underneath it all I'm just his faggot son."
"I'm sorry," Luke said, reaching out and running his hand down Reid's forearm.
Reid shrugged and said, "Fuck him."
Luke laughed out loud and leaned in closer to Reid, not even questioning the impulse to be physcially closer to him.
"Hey, we're supposed to be talking about your daddy issues, not mine," Reid joked, and he looked up to see Luke's face very close to his.
"I'm glad you're here," Luke said and put his hand on top of Reid's on the table, his thumb grazing the back of Reid's hand.
"In Oakdale?" Reid huffed, "As if I had a choice..."
"Cut it out...you know what I mean. Here. Tonight. I like this."
"Yeah, I like this too," Reid said and put his arm around the back of Luke's chair, leaned in, and placed a tender kiss on Luke's mouth.
When they pulled apart, Luke was smiling. "How did this happen?"
"I don't know, but it's weirding me out. The next time I see you, I'm going to go back to being annoyed with you okay? I at least know how to navigate that." Reid smiled and cupped the side of Luke's face.
Just then, the waitress approached their table, "Hey, y'all..."
Both men separated and looked up at her.
"Believe me, I like nothing more than watching two hot guys making out, but unfortunately the clientele here aren't as evolved as or 21st century as I am. I'd hate to see y'all jumped in the parking lot by any of these neanderthals."
Reid straightened up. "Good to know."
"Anyway," she continued, "Just be careful." She smiled and walked away.
"Well," Luke said, "That was...I don't know...I guess it's time for me to go anyway. "
"Yeah, me too..."
****************************************
A few minutes later, Reid and Luke were in the parking lot, standing near Reid's car.
"You're okay?" Reid asked, "No chance of you stopping at the package store on your way home for a six pack?"
Luke laughed.
"I'm serious, Snyder. You're not going to do anything stupid, are you?"
"Doctor, I'm fine. Thanks for your concern."
"Well, don't be an idiot because I'll have to kick your ass." Reid smiled and held up his fist.
"So, I'll see you later?" Luke said, staring at Reid's lips.
Reid swallowed. "Yeah, okay, there's that budget meeting for the wing on Monday. You'll be there?"
"Yea, I will...you?..."
"Yup. Me too." Reid said, nodding, his hand on the roof of his car.
"Okay, then...bye..." Luke said flatly without making a move to leave the spot he was standing in.
Reid stepped forward, cupped the side of Luke's neck, and placed a kiss on his jaw and then another lingering one at his temple, before moving his mouth to Luke's ear. "Spend the night with me, Luke..."
Luke closed his eyes and leaned into the side of Reid's neck. "Yes."