Fic: First to Break
Title: First to Break
Author: gradgirl (aka Ali)
Rating: PG-13 (Do I write anything else?)
Summary: Point of fact, each encounter was leading to more and more intimacy and Reid didn’t want to be the first to break.
Author’s Notes: Being mulling over this fic for a few weeks. Timeline: early April, so no trip to Texas and no kiss. Follows some of the storyline with variation. Unbeta’d so all mistakes are mine. A big thank you to everyone who and reads and comments, my appreciation has no bounds. ~Ali
Due to posting size broken into 2 entries. [Part 2]
Luke pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to block out the sound of Dr. Oliver’s voice. He was certain there was some justifiable reason for the doctor to drone on and on about the type of labs, or was it lighting? Luke had long since lost track of the conversation. And it didn’t appear that Dr. Oliver needed any encouragement, he just continued to talk. He was probably as in love with his own voice, as he was with his surgical skills.
“…so then over here, you can have the Ferris wheel and kissing booth, with the cotton candy machine,” Reid finished.
“Yeah, okay,” Luke mumbled.
The doctor’s blue eyes narrowed slightly. He knew the young man wasn’t listening, but he was hoping to be wrong. He put up with these meetings, because he needed this neurological wing and it was one of the conditions of Mr. Snyder giving him the money. While Reid would rather call Doogie Hughes a brilliant doctor then actually admit…well, a part of him liked Mr. Snyder, and kind of enjoyed these meetings, because he got a rush from the antagonistic exchanges, and sometimes…he’d see a smile grace the blonde’s lips, and Reid would be drawn to that mouth and wonder…
“Wait. Did you just say a cotton candy machine?” Luke turned and looked at Dr. Oliver. He had been sitting at the table in Katie’s kitchen, and the doctor was leaning over him, droning on in his ear for the last ten minutes. Luke had started out valiantly, listening patiently, while Dr. Oliver tried to fight his case, but the encounter Luke had had just before arriving, left him feeling uncomfortable and awkward. He wanted-he needed-to talk to someone and he couldn’t talk to Dr. Oliver, because…well, several reasons…and then Noah, well it was about Noah, so he couldn’t talk to him, either.
Now, between his last encounter with Noah and trying to be the good philanthropist, it was too much. He couldn’t concentrate and the low buzzing behind his eyes had turned into a full-on shooting pain. He just wanted to get out of there.
But he had to be an adult; prove to himself and Dr. Oliver that he wasn’t some spoiled kid, that this project was important to him. It didn’t help his headache, and if Dr. Oliver hadn’t actually said a cotton candy machine, Luke would have to add auditory hallucinations to his list of ailments.
Dr. Oliver let out an exasperated sigh. Although, it was hard to tell, because most of what Luke did seemed to exasperate the brilliant surgeon. “Look, Mr. Snyder, I told you, I am more than happy to give you written notes about this project, but you keep on insisting that we sit and…” Dr. Oliver rolled his eyes and sat down in the chair next to Luke. “Talk,” he ground out the word, as though it left a bad taste in his mouth. “You’re here, and I had to check to make sure you were listening.”
Luke turned slightly, his brow furrowed. “So you did mention a cotton candy machine?”
Reid’s eyes narrowed again, two slits, laser beams of anger directed at the young man. “Were you listening or not?”
Luke’s mouth fell open. He felt like he’d just entered a test and he hadn’t studied for it. Point of fact, Dr. Oliver was more intimidating than any teacher or professor he’d ever encountered. “Yes?” he whispered.
“Are you asking me or telling me you were listening?” Reid’s voice rose in volume with each word.
Now, Luke was certain he was back in a classroom. “What?”
Reid shook his head and started to pace around the room. He was desperate to have something to eat, but the food Luke had brought with him from Al’s was long gone. And he knew Katie was at the store now. She claimed they were out of food-well, all the food Reid liked for one of his sandwiches-but she had a glint in her eye, like when she was trying to convince Henry to do something. And earlier that day, she had asked him about Luke, more than a few inquiries about how the wing was going, more along the lines of how his relationship with Mr. Snyder was progressing from the antagonistic, angry phase, to a tentative working relationship. She’d even smiled at him from behind Luke’s back and gave him this weird encouraging head nod and thumbs up before promising she wouldn’t be back for “a long while.”
If Reid didn’t know better, he was afraid his roommate was attempting matchmaking, like she had for Hank and that gorgeous European woman, who Reid still found hard to believe, gave Hank a second glance. But he never understood the attraction some women had to men; obviously, their thinking patterns varied. He was interested in conducting research but… Now he was turning into the daydreaming one.
“Mr. Snyder, have you been listening to me or not?” Reid finally asked.
“Yes,” Luke replied, there was a cold steel in his voice and it made Reid look at him.
He mentally kicked himself. He’d let his own thoughts wander too long, and he’d allowed the younger man an opportunity to get his bearings. He was certain that Luke wasn’t listening, just as certain that he was the best.
“Then, yes, I mentioned a cotton candy machine. I was testing you.”
“When are you not?” Luke replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
Reid’s head tilted slightly to the right. There was that fire again; the hostile nature of their relationship was back to the forefront. Reid could admit that he derived a certain pleasure out of his encounters with Luke-an opportunity to verbally spar with another person-since so few people could match him, it was nice to actually spar with a worthy adversary. Except Mr. Snyder didn’t always play fair-he was physical, often grabbing Reid’s arm, pushing him around, whenever the words seemed to fail Luke, he went to pushing or grabbing. Reid used to wonder about that, but Katie mentioned once that Luke had aspired to be a writer, and he deduced that if words were to fail a writer, it would be like Reid losing the use of his hands; he wouldn’t know what to do, and fight back with whatever he had.
“Look, Dr. Oliver, I know you think my ideas are silly and childish-hence all the references to a county fair or circus. I especially liked your idea for a kissing booth, because I know when I feel completely helpless, because someone I love is in surgery, my first thought is to pay a person to make out with.”
Reid smirked and before he could stop himself, a small chuckle escaped his lips. He quickly cleared his throat trying to cover it up.
“Dr. Oliver, you’re a brilliant doctor.”
“I’m the best neurosurgeon in the country,” he countered. He didn’t like where this conversation was going. Mr. Snyder appeared to be working himself up again, and Reid didn’t feel like a fight, or being manhandled. He just wanted the young man gone.
“Yes, okay fine,” Luke replied, shaking his head, which was a big mistake, because his headache was getting progressively worse, and if he wanted to get out of there, an argument with Dr. Oliver wasn’t going to help.
“No, ‘fine.’ Say it.” Reid was standing over Luke now.
Refusing to be intimidated, Luke stood up as well. The doctor had to actually take a step and then another back, because Luke was standing so close.
Reid had a very bad feeling about this and he shifted his center of gravity. He wasn’t going to be pushed around again today. If they were going to spar, they would use words, like adults. Well, one of them was an adult, but it still surprised him the way the young man brought out the six-year-old in Reid. He was a grown up, but sometimes he felt like sticking his tongue out at Luke during one of their verbal exchanges.
Luke’s voice took on a high-pitched sound as he said, “Dr. Oliver, you’re the best neurosurgeon in the country.” And with a smirk he added, “I promise to bring the pom poms next time.”
The doctor let out an angry breath and quickly closed the distance between them. “I don’t like your condescending attitude. I have been speaking to you for the last ten minutes about the use of the space, because you wanted to be involved, when I just wanted your money.”
“Yes, because I love being treated like a spoiled brat, who has no ideas and an IQ around 70.”
“I don’t think you’re mentally challenged, Mr. Snyder, just way too emotional for your own good.”
Luke opened his mouth to retort, but he was suddenly aware that the feeling pressing on his chest wasn’t just pain from Noah, but Reid’s arms brushing against his. He had crossed his arms over his chest during their latest exchange, closed the gap between them. Luke had trouble breathing. His headache was so bad at this point, he couldn’t think of anything to say. “Dr. Oliver…” he released the man’s name on his breath. “I-” He took a step back, stumbling into the chair he just vacated.
Reid quickly knelt down in front of him. “Luke, are you all right?” the words were out of his mouth before he even realized he’d formed them, and he wasn’t sure who was more shocked, himself or Mr. Snyder, because Reid had actually used Luke’s first name.
Luke pinched the bridge of his nose again. “I…I think I’m hallucinating. Did you just call me Luke?” He kept his eyes closed, because even surrounded by blackness, he felt dizzy. He’d never had a headache this bad before.
“Very funny,” Reid retorted. He gently reached out, pulling Luke’s hands away from his face. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked.
Slowly Luke’s eyes opened. “I-I have a massive headache. It’s been coming on for a while, and-”
Reid was concerned, but he quickly went into doctor mode. “What kind of headache? Where is the pain? Do you see any shoots of light? How long have you been feeling this way? Has it gotten progressively worse? Can you describe the pain? Give it a rating.”
Luke leaned forward slightly, his head resting on Reid’s palms. The doctor was trying to look into Luke’s eyes, as he asked his questions, and his hands had come up, framing the blonde’s face. Reid felt his body tense for a moment, holding the young man’s soft cheeks in his hands, his fingers finding their way into Luke’s hair.
“What? I have a headache and you want to play twenty questions.”
Not letting go of Luke, but thinking it would be best if he did soon, Reid let out an exasperated, “Pfft,” and the hair against Luke’s forehead fluttered briefly before falling back into place. “It was six questions, the last one having an added instruction and I have more-”
“No.” Luke shook his head, and Reid’s fingers became more entwined in Luke’s hair. “Ouch. Sorry, I lost count after the one about light.”
Reid continued to look at Luke, trying to examine his eyes. He really needed his pen light. “Mr. Snyder-”
“I have a headache. I’m sure it was brought on by stress. It’s not a brain tumor, I can assure you of that.” He slowly tried to pull himself out of Dr. Oliver’s grasp. Despite the exasperating questions, Reid’s fingers were cool, and soothing against Luke’s pounding skull.
“It’s not a brain tumor?” Dr. Oliver countered.
Luke winced; he knew his headache was about to get a lot worse.
“I’m sorry, when did you go to medical school, Mr. Snyder? And then your residency and the time you took to develop a specialty. Tell me what did you think of last month’s Journal of Neurosurgery? Which article in particular did you feel was most worthy of your time?” Dr. Oliver was still kneeling in front of Luke, but he had let go of him.
“If I tell you, you’re the best neurosurgeon in the world again, will you just let me leave?” Luke begged.
Dr. Oliver knew the young man was in pain. It was written all over his face, and the weakened tone of his voice. The most telling fact of all: he was willing to concede an argument to Reid. Mr. Snyder never gave up an opportunity to try to prove him wrong.
Reid slowly stood up and reached out for Luke’s hand. Luke sat for a moment starting at it, before his gaze moved reached up and met Reid’s.
“I don’t bite, Mr. Snyder.”
Luke let out a bark of laughter. “Now, I know I’m hallucinating. All you do is bite and spew venom.”
“I haven’t done that nearly as much since that day in the elevator.”
“I thought you were going to forget about it.”
“Look, you helped me. Let me help you. I’m a doctor, Mr. Snyder, I have the stethoscope and bad handwriting to prove it.”
Despite himself, Luke let out a chuckle. If nothing else, it was an experience, seeing Dr. Oliver be civil and…almost kind. “Yes, I know. If we ever decide that you are to give me notes about this project, I’ll need them to be typed.” He finally gave up and took the hand that was proffered to him. Vaguely, he remembered Reid asking him if he saw shoots of light, when Luke’s palm rested into Reid’s he definitely felt a jolt of electricity. His eyes widened slightly and his gaze didn’t hold any of the usual disregard.
“Luke?” Reid murmured. He could see something shift in the young man’s gaze. He was concerned, and acting on that instinct-which Reid knew was a very, very bad idea-he tightened his grip on Luke’s hand and with his other hand, reached for Luke’s arm and slowly started to move them backwards, toward the couch.
“I-I’m sorry, Dr. Oliver.”
“What are you apologizing for?”
Luke let out a mirthless chuckle. “Well, with you, it’s always best to start with an apology, because it’s almost a certain fact that by the end of one of our encounters, I will have said or done something to piss you off. I think it’s a habit you should acquire as well.”
“Why would I ever apologize?” he asked quizzically.
This time Luke’s laugh held amusement. “Right. So, anyway, I have a headache. Listening to you justify…what was it again? Lighting? Use of space? Didn’t help. I’ve had it since before I came, I should have called and rescheduled, but I figured, why make you angry with me yet again, and that would just delay the inevitable.”
“Inevitable what?” Reid replied, still directing the younger man. He didn’t want to move too fast. He used to get the worst migraines in high school-part of why he went into neurosurgery-and he remembered quick movements caused even more pain.
“Pissing you off. You know, Dr. Oliver, sometimes I don’t think my day is complete without seeing that large vein in your neck bulge.”
Reid chuckled and quickly stopped, when he saw the wince on Luke’s face. “Sorry,” he murmured. They’d finally reached the couch, and he gently placed his hands on Luke’s shoulders. The young man looked at him quizzically, before Reid pushed again, and Luke was sitting down.
Sitting on the coffee table opposite Luke, Reid’s knees brushed against Luke’s. He shifted slightly, leaning closer and Reid’s thighs fell open, cocooned around the blonde’s. “So, this headache, you said it started before you came? Something in particular, or were you looking forward to this meeting as much as I was?”
“Guess that depends,” Luke whispered.
Reid, who had been looking at Luke’s eyes, trying to track his pupils, stopped and his hands fell into his lap. “Depends on what?”
“Well, it depends on exactly how much you look forward to these meetings. I don’t find them that tedious, not like a root canal, but I can’t speak for you.”
“No, Mr. Snyder, I don’t think of our meetings like painful, oral surgery.”
Luke smiled softly and Reid tried not to be caught by the grin. He’d already spent too much time focused on that mouth-he couldn’t be distracted right now.
“So what do you think of our meetings?” Luke asked.
“Mr. Snyder…”
Luke leaned back slightly into the couch. He held up his finger. “Aw, there it is, the scolding school teacher tone. I always know you’re about to break, when I hear that tone.”
Reid sat dumbfounded for a moment. How was it that this guy, who irritated him to no end-could read him so well?
“You’re not as mysterious as you like to think,” Luke continued, almost reading Reid’s thoughts. “Granted, you are a giant pain in the ass, and you say things… Well, I think that filter that most people have, where if they have a thought and know they shouldn’t speak it, well I think yours is defective or non-existent. And you use it, as a way to keep people away from you. I’m not sure who hurt you, and I’m sorry, but I’ve known you long enough to try and ignore your lack of filter, and it doesn’t always work, but I like to try.”
The doctor thought it must have been the headache or else Mr. Snyder was just an idiot savant, but he didn’t have time to be psychoanalyzed. “Yes, this is all very interesting, Mr. Snyder.”
“Please call me Luke.”