A Rhythm Like You (10/?)
Chapter 1: http://dpracket.livejournal.com/32142.h tml
Chapter 2: http://dpracket.livejournal.com/32417.h tml
Chapter 3: dpracket.livejournal.com/33801.html
Chapter 4: dpracket.livejournal.com/34221.html
Chapter 5: dpracket.livejournal.com/34761.html
Chapter 6: http://dpracket.livejournal.com/34958.h tml
Chapter 7: http://dpracket.livejournal.com/35388.h tml
Chapter 8: http://dpracket.livejournal.com/36032.h tml
Chapter 9: http://dpracket.livejournal.com/37017.html
"The beating of my heart is a drum, and it's lost, and it's looking for a rhythm like you."
CURRENT CHAPTER:
http://dpracket.livejournal.com/36702.html
Luke hustled down the stairs toward the front door. The doorbell rang a second time. "Okay...hold on...I'm coming..."
He opened the door to find Reid standing on the other side...Reid, who he hadn't seen in over a week...Reid, who hadn't called him...Reid, who he had refused to call...Reid, who he couldn't get out of his head.
"What are you doing here?" Luke asked.
Reid stepped forward and pulled Luke to him, kissing him soundly. For a moment, Luke got caught up in it and kissed back, his hand coming up to grip the back of Reid's head. But then he came to his senses and pushed him away. "What the hell, Reid?"
Reid nodded. "I know," he said, looking down.
"You know?"
Reid stepped forward again and put the side of his head against Luke's, without touching him in any other way. "I'm sorry. I'm an idiot."
Luke pushed him back again, gently, and crossed his arms. He cocked his head slightly and looked Reid up and down. "Yeah..."
"Oh! Hello, there, Reid."
Reid tore his eyes away from Luke and looked at Lily. "Hello, Ms. Walsh."
Lily pulled her purse onto her shoulder and held her keys in her hand. "It's Lily, remember?"
"Yes, ma'am," Reid said, smiling slightly, "Lily."
"Why are you boys standing in the doorway? Come on in, Reid."
She looked at Luke who stood firmly with his arms crossed and didn't move out of the way to let Reid in. "Luke, what's wrong, sweetie?"
Luke just shook his head and glared at Reid. "Reid was just leaving," he said coldly.
"Oh," Lily said, looking sympathetically at Reid. "I thought you just got here."
"I did. But I guess I'm leaving." He looked at Luke, who looked away. He turned to Lily. "Luke's angry with me, and he has the right to be.......but wait, I have something to give you before I go."
He stepped outside the door, and Lily looked at Luke, her eyebrows raised in question. Luke shrugged.
Reid reappeared and held flowers out to Lily. "These are for you. Well actually, I got them for Luke, but I'm rethinking the whole getting-a-guy-flowers thing. Anyway, here..." he pushed them further toward Lily, who took them and smelled them.
"Thank you," she said, "They're beautiful."
"Um...yeah. You're welcome." He turned to Luke. "Here. These are for you." He handed Luke two bags of jellybeans.
"Jellybeans?" Luke asked.
"Not just any jellybeans...look..." Reid pointed to the label.
"Bertie Bots?" Luke asked, the corners of his lips turning up in amusement, against his will.
"Bertie Bots Every Flavor Beans," Reid said. "Like from Harry Potter, right?"
Luke nodded.
"There are even supposed to be the odd flavored ones in there, like puke and ear wax."
"What?!" Lily exclaimed. "That's disgusting."
"Yeah," Reid smiled. "I think Ethan will get a kick out of those."
"Thanks," Luke said, still irritated at Reid but sort of touched that he'd found something authentic from one of Luke's favorite movie series. "Where did you locate these?"
"On the Internet. I had them overnighted. Jellybeans dot com. Can you believe that? There's a dot com for everything. Well, except for howtomakeupwithyourboyfriend.com. I tried that first..."
Lily smiled while looking at Reid, who was looking at Luke, who was looking back at Reid, his expression slightly softened. And Lily realized neither one of them was even remotely aware of her presence anymore. She cleared her throat.
"Okay, so...yeah." Reid stepped forward and kissed Luke on the temple. "I'll call you." Luke shrugged off the kiss. Reid turned to Lily. "Bye, Ms. Wal...I mean, Lily."
He turned to walk away but felt a hand on his arm. He turned around. It was Lily. "I have to go pick up the kids from the Kramers, and then we're meeting your father for dinner at the farm," Lily said, looking at Luke. "Faith's at Parker's for the evening." She turned to Reid. "Reid, why don't you come in?"
Reid looked at Luke, who nodded at him and stepped away from the doorway so that he could enter.
"Thank you for the lovely flowers," Lily said, handing the bouquet to Reid. "Would you mind putting them in water in the vase that's in the kitchen? It's on the counter by the sink."
"Sure thing," said Reid, glancing at Luke before heading toward the kitchen.
Lily ran her hand down Luke's arm. "That man is smitten with you, Luke."
Luke shook his head.
"Smitten," Lily repeated, "And he's trying. I don't know what he did to upset you, but...he is clearly trying to make it up to you in his own awkward way. Talk to him, Luke."
"Now you're a fan of Reid Oliver, mom?" Luke asked, puzzled because for weeks she'd been making it clear that she had no idea what Luke saw in him.
"Yeah, maybe. Believe me, I'm as surprised as anyone. The man that was just on our doorstep is a much different person than the rude ego maniac I experienced at the hospital when Noah had his surgery." She laughed softly. "Bye, baby. Have a good evening. There are some leftovers in the fridge if you guys are hungry."
"Reid's always hungry. Bye, mom."
Lily squeezed Luke's arm and then closed the door behind her.
Luke turned around as Reid emerged from the kitchen, wiping his hands on his jeans. "That was nice of you to give my mom flowers," Luke said.
"The flowers really were for you," Reid said, following Luke into the living room. "But then I wasn't sure men gave each other flowers. Do they? I've never gotten flowers from a guy. Have you? I mean, if a man fucks up with a woman, he gets her flowers, right? But what do you get a guy to make up with him?"
"Apparently you get him puke flavored jellybeans," Luke said, smiling.
Reid stared at Luke and sighed. I love you. I love you. I love you. "Do you want to hang out for awhile? Or I can go, if you want me to go. I get it." Luke didn't answer right away. "Okay...yeah. Um...I'll go."
Reid stepped toward the door, but Luke grabbed his arm. Reid turned back toward him and looked at Luke's hand on his forearm. He raised his eyes and met Luke's.
"Stay..."