Fic: Perception 18/?
Author: PABWECG (aka Patricia)
Title: Perception
Genre/Type: Romance, Period fic
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Reid, Lily/Holden, Casey, Katie, Maddie, and Henry, amongst others
Warnings: Nope
Summary: The year is 1898; Luke lives on Snyder farm, and Reid is a doctor in Chicago; you’ll figure the rest out.
Big thanks, again, to Slayerkitty, for being my beta!!!
Previous Chapters: 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/ 17/
Chapter 18
The next morning, Reid and Holden joined Luke for a tour of the campus. The saw all the different spaces - for classes and labs, for worship and recreation, for dining and housing. They met many students and some faculty. And again Reid watched Luke soak it all up - seeing his expression change from wide-eyed wonder, to delight and anticipation, to worry and apprehension. And when he would meet Luke’s gaze, he would see altogether different expressions again - joy, happiness, wonder, uncertainty, desire, and then peace and contentment. Once, when Luke appeared concerned - about what, Reid was unsure - he stepped up beside him, walking with him, and put an arm around his shoulder. Luke turned and looked him in the eye, and Reid saw him inhale and exhale, the concern drifting away on his breath.
And Reid wondered about this feeling inside himself - this contentment that was born of another’s contentment; the joy that was born of his joy; the knowledge that should Luke be sad, he would as well. Had he ever felt this connected, this at-one, with another human being before?
In the afternoon, Luke continued to get to know the school, with some discussion sessions with faculty and students. Holden rested while Reid looked up a professional colleague - possibly a friend. A Doctor Blackstone was his name, and he and Reid had always gotten on well. They talked, and he asked Reid why he’d left the city. Reid told him of Dr. Pierson’s blackmail; he couldn’t tell him the details, but he did tell Dr. Blackstone that much of his rival’s accusations were true. It was nothing Reid was ashamed of, but others wouldn’t understand and Reid could lose his license.
As he left, Reid smiled with the knowledge that he did indeed have a friend in Dr. Blackstone; someone who would listen, who would got to bat against Dr. Pierson, and who would help him set up a practice again, if he planned to return to Chicago. Reid had said that that was the plan, and he’d left feeling a new sense of freedom.
Later that evening, he sat at a table with Luke’s father.
“He’s so much like his mother.” Holden said. “He’s got her eyes and her smile; reminds me so much of her at the same age.”
Reid looked over at Holden, sitting beside him in his suit jacket and tie; he looked very much the farmer, not quite at ease all dressed up for this fancy dinner the school was hosting. But if it looked as if his nice suit was the same one he’d had for twenty odd years, the man in the suit looked comfortable in his own skin - like someone who’d lived a life he was proud of - someone content.
His gaze left Holden and turned towards the younger Snyder, who was in the arms of a girl about his age. Short, curly-brown hair, she was one of the small number of women who might be part of the incoming class. Luke was smiling and chatting with her on the dance floor - it astounded Reid how quickly Luke made new acquaintances. The fact that Reid himself turned down every offer to dance was simply more insight into the differences between himself and Luke.
“He’s always, from the beginning, been so much like his mother. And I’m seeing that much more clearly now - she was only a bit younger than he is now when I first met her. They both have generous, open hearts; they both need reminding to look out for themselves, every once in a while.” He laughed. “They both love their books; Lily would have loved this. I could picture her now, at eighteen, out there mingling and talking, as excited about her upcoming classes as about the boys she might meet.”
Holden was smiling, both at Luke and his own memories.
“How did you meet?” Reid found himself asking. “She didn’t grow up in Oakdale?”
“Lily Walsh?” Holden gave him an incredulous look. “Oh no. She was from away as we say. Her family came to town to spend the summer, and I was hired to teach her to ride; never been on a horse before, you see, and she was engaged to be married - to a proper gentleman - so she had to learn to ride.”
Reid raised his eyebrows at that logic.
Holden laughed. “I know. The man she was to marry lived in the city, but that class thought that a young woman of good breeding should be accomplished in certain things; Lily already played the piano, and was well versed in literature, but she needed to learn to ride.”
Reid sat back and watched the man smile as he told his story.
“Anyway, not that I’m complaining; that’s how we met. I remember the first moment I laid eyes on her. Her hair, her beautiful smile - not to mention, she looked quite fetching in her fancy new riding outfit.”
Reid smiled back at Holden.
“But it was her eyes - I swear her eyes could tell a story all by themselves.” Holden ran a hand through his hair. “Anyway, I’m sure you know what I mean.”
Reid was half-listening, remembering the moment he first laid eyes on Luke at the church supper - and then the moment Luke’s eyes had met his. He knew exactly what Holden was talking about.
“Luke has those eyes - his mother’s,” Holden was now saying. “So often I know just what he’s thinking or feeling without him saying a word.”
Holden looked over at him and Reid smiled a bit.
“I’m glad he has a friend in you, Reid. He’s…he seems happier somehow.” Holden’s brow furrowed. “Since your arrival.” He nodded his head. “And I’m glad,” he concluded, simply.
Reid held Holden’s gaze, and half-smiled in acknowledgement.
next part/
Title: Perception
Genre/Type: Romance, Period fic
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Reid, Lily/Holden, Casey, Katie, Maddie, and Henry, amongst others
Warnings: Nope
Summary: The year is 1898; Luke lives on Snyder farm, and Reid is a doctor in Chicago; you’ll figure the rest out.
Big thanks, again, to Slayerkitty, for being my beta!!!
Previous Chapters: 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/ 17/
Chapter 18
The next morning, Reid and Holden joined Luke for a tour of the campus. The saw all the different spaces - for classes and labs, for worship and recreation, for dining and housing. They met many students and some faculty. And again Reid watched Luke soak it all up - seeing his expression change from wide-eyed wonder, to delight and anticipation, to worry and apprehension. And when he would meet Luke’s gaze, he would see altogether different expressions again - joy, happiness, wonder, uncertainty, desire, and then peace and contentment. Once, when Luke appeared concerned - about what, Reid was unsure - he stepped up beside him, walking with him, and put an arm around his shoulder. Luke turned and looked him in the eye, and Reid saw him inhale and exhale, the concern drifting away on his breath.
And Reid wondered about this feeling inside himself - this contentment that was born of another’s contentment; the joy that was born of his joy; the knowledge that should Luke be sad, he would as well. Had he ever felt this connected, this at-one, with another human being before?
In the afternoon, Luke continued to get to know the school, with some discussion sessions with faculty and students. Holden rested while Reid looked up a professional colleague - possibly a friend. A Doctor Blackstone was his name, and he and Reid had always gotten on well. They talked, and he asked Reid why he’d left the city. Reid told him of Dr. Pierson’s blackmail; he couldn’t tell him the details, but he did tell Dr. Blackstone that much of his rival’s accusations were true. It was nothing Reid was ashamed of, but others wouldn’t understand and Reid could lose his license.
As he left, Reid smiled with the knowledge that he did indeed have a friend in Dr. Blackstone; someone who would listen, who would got to bat against Dr. Pierson, and who would help him set up a practice again, if he planned to return to Chicago. Reid had said that that was the plan, and he’d left feeling a new sense of freedom.
Later that evening, he sat at a table with Luke’s father.
“He’s so much like his mother.” Holden said. “He’s got her eyes and her smile; reminds me so much of her at the same age.”
Reid looked over at Holden, sitting beside him in his suit jacket and tie; he looked very much the farmer, not quite at ease all dressed up for this fancy dinner the school was hosting. But if it looked as if his nice suit was the same one he’d had for twenty odd years, the man in the suit looked comfortable in his own skin - like someone who’d lived a life he was proud of - someone content.
His gaze left Holden and turned towards the younger Snyder, who was in the arms of a girl about his age. Short, curly-brown hair, she was one of the small number of women who might be part of the incoming class. Luke was smiling and chatting with her on the dance floor - it astounded Reid how quickly Luke made new acquaintances. The fact that Reid himself turned down every offer to dance was simply more insight into the differences between himself and Luke.
“He’s always, from the beginning, been so much like his mother. And I’m seeing that much more clearly now - she was only a bit younger than he is now when I first met her. They both have generous, open hearts; they both need reminding to look out for themselves, every once in a while.” He laughed. “They both love their books; Lily would have loved this. I could picture her now, at eighteen, out there mingling and talking, as excited about her upcoming classes as about the boys she might meet.”
Holden was smiling, both at Luke and his own memories.
“How did you meet?” Reid found himself asking. “She didn’t grow up in Oakdale?”
“Lily Walsh?” Holden gave him an incredulous look. “Oh no. She was from away as we say. Her family came to town to spend the summer, and I was hired to teach her to ride; never been on a horse before, you see, and she was engaged to be married - to a proper gentleman - so she had to learn to ride.”
Reid raised his eyebrows at that logic.
Holden laughed. “I know. The man she was to marry lived in the city, but that class thought that a young woman of good breeding should be accomplished in certain things; Lily already played the piano, and was well versed in literature, but she needed to learn to ride.”
Reid sat back and watched the man smile as he told his story.
“Anyway, not that I’m complaining; that’s how we met. I remember the first moment I laid eyes on her. Her hair, her beautiful smile - not to mention, she looked quite fetching in her fancy new riding outfit.”
Reid smiled back at Holden.
“But it was her eyes - I swear her eyes could tell a story all by themselves.” Holden ran a hand through his hair. “Anyway, I’m sure you know what I mean.”
Reid was half-listening, remembering the moment he first laid eyes on Luke at the church supper - and then the moment Luke’s eyes had met his. He knew exactly what Holden was talking about.
“Luke has those eyes - his mother’s,” Holden was now saying. “So often I know just what he’s thinking or feeling without him saying a word.”
Holden looked over at him and Reid smiled a bit.
“I’m glad he has a friend in you, Reid. He’s…he seems happier somehow.” Holden’s brow furrowed. “Since your arrival.” He nodded his head. “And I’m glad,” he concluded, simply.
Reid held Holden’s gaze, and half-smiled in acknowledgement.
next part/