fic: good friends

[inflowers]

title: good friends
author: inflowers
summary: “Come on, Luke. Things were never going to be perfect. It's us.”
authors notes: i haven't been feeling particularly funny lately, which is why i haven't updated my luke blog post series. angst is coming a little easier at the moment! but this isn't too angsty, so never fear. :)

“Oh screw you, Reid. You don't know what you're talking about.” Luke cries, throwing his hands up in defeat.

“Screw me? That's rich, Snyder. I can't even look at you right now. Get out of my house.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, you little shit. Just get out.”

“This is my house too, you know.” Luke stands defiantly, his eyes challenging Reid's in a battle of wills.

“How could I forget, with the distasteful way you've decorated. It just screams Luke Snyder: amateur interior decorator”

“Oh, fuck you.” Luke huffs, grabbing his keys and jacket and slamming the door as he exits.

He's furious. He isn't even sure why - he can't remember what they started fighting about, but he knows it's been coming for awhile. They've been snapping at each other for days, both of them exhausted and on edge, trying to settle into living with one another.

Naively, Luke thought it would be like it was with Noah. Late night couch cuddles, petty arguments over whose turn it is to do the shopping, and just being happy that there was someone to come home to.

He never expected it to be like this, and he never thought they would spend their first weeks walking on eggshells around each other. But somehow, everything Luke was doing was just plain old pissing Reid off - and likewise. What would normally not be much of a problem, like Reid's inability to charge his cellphone, was driving Luke insane. And the way Luke spends so much time on his hair never used to bother Reid, but lately the extra ten minutes have felt like an hour and it's all just too much.

Luke's not surprised when he finds himself at Java. Where else is there to go, and he's grateful for the familiar smell and sounds filling the spaces in him. He can feel the anger dissipating with every breath, and he's he's finally starting to relax when a voice startles him from behind.

“Hey.” And it's a voice he'd know anywhere.

“Oh, hey. I didn't know you were working.” Luke says, as Noah fiddles with the sugar sticks on his table.

“Yeah, I was out the back. You okay? You look a little off.”

“Yeah, it's just - actually, forget it.You must be busy.” Luke waves a hand, trying to be nonchalant. Not a trait he's particularly mastered, despite his best efforts.

“I was just about to take my break anyway, so if you want to talk...” Noah offers, shrugging a shoulder.

“I shouldn't unload on you, Noah.”

“We're friends, aren't we? Maybe not best friends, but friends. I can't promise I'm going to give you the best advice, but I'm a good listener.”

“That'd be good, actually. Thanks.” Luke concedes, realising that he needs to vent somewhere and if the offer is out there, he'd be crazy not to take it.

Noah throws his dishtowel over the counter and pulls up a chair, sitting distinctly platonically across from Luke. Noah is all about boundaries. Now that they're not together, he doesn't want anyone to mistake them as being more than friends. It's all about perception, for Noah. And Luke can understand that, especially since Reid has a tendency to overreact and automatically think the worst things imaginable.

“It's just - Reid and I moved in together about a month ago, right?” Luke starts, prickling already at the subject.

“Yeah, I heard.” Noah says, and it's awkward but they can't ignore it and talk about the weather forever.

“Okay, so - it's. Everything has changed since then. We're angry at each other all the time, we fight more than we've ever fought before and I'm just - I'm losing it, you know?”

“Oh. Well, I didn't expect that.”

“Yeah, no kidding. Me either.” Luke replies, suddenly interested in the grounds at the bottom of his cup. “I just - you know, I thought it would be different. I thought it would be like -” Luke pauses, embarrassed and not wanting to confess, but he knows its futile. Noah has always known him a little better than he knows himself, and trying to lie to him is useless.

“Like what, Luke?”

“Like it was when you and I moved in together.”

“Oh. Yeah.” Noah stops, looks down and Luke can see the hurt on his face. It's been so long, but he knows it's still a sore subject. It's not that Luke thinks he's hard to get over, but he knows that flaunting his relationship in Noah's face doesn't help. And he feels genuinely bad about it, but he can't put his life on hold until Noah is all whole and healed about it - life just doesn't work that way.

“Yeah, look. It's okay, I don't expect you to say anything.”

“No no, it's fine. Really. I mean, it's a bit awkward but I'll deal. Just talk to me.”

“I'm trying to understand why this is all so hard, but I just don't. Moving in with you was so easy, Noah. Everything just fell into place and even though it was only for a little while before - well, before Mason, it was awesome. You remember, don't you?”

“Of course I do. But I don't think you can compare your relationship with Doctor... with Reid, to your relationship with... To our relationship.”

“Why not?” Luke questions, furrowing his brow.

“Because it's different, and you know it is. Come on, Luke. We were such different people then, when we first got together even. We were kids. We're not anymore.”

“I still feel like it.” Luke shyly admits, laughing softly.

“Yeah, me too sometimes. But you and Reid, you're different to the way we were. I don't know, maybe it's because he's older and has a career and is stable or whatever, but your relationship is different.”

“I know. I know it is, and I shouldn't be expecting everything to be perfect but I just want it to be, you know?”

“Yeah, I know. But give yourself a break. I think if you just stop expecting things to be a certain way, you'll find they just get better on their own.”

“You think?”

“Yeah. Or, you know. You could dump the jerk and come back to me.” Noah laughs, flicking a packet of sugar at Luke.

“Noah... I -” Luke starts, struggling to find words.

“It's okay, Luke. I was joking. I'm happy for you, really. It took me awhile, but I got there in the end. And even if I can't understand why you would want to be with him, I'm glad that you're happy.”

“Thanks, Noah. And maybe you're right. Maybe I should cut him and maybe myself some slack and just see where things go.”

“Give it a try. You might be surprised.”

Luke smiles gently at Noah, and is overwhelmed with how grateful he is to still have Noah in his life, in any capacity. Having Noah in front of him, and remembering how happy they were together just makes Luke all the more convinced that he and Reid need to work things out. Because not everyone is so lucky to have had two great loves, and Luke is hoping that Reid is the last one he'll have.

It's late when he gets home, later than he would usually be getting in. He takes some time wandering around the dark house, putting away coffee mugs left sitting out, washing the last few dishes and closing all the blinds. He knows Reid is here, his car is in the drive. And he knows that Reid must still be annoyed, because he didn't leave any lights on for Luke. Typical and petty, Luke thinks to himself but he laughs despite himself.

He walks towards their bedroom, shucking his jacket in the process and throwing it into the hall closet. The light in their room is on, Luke can see it glowing out from underneath the door. Maybe inviting him in, maybe daring him to go in, but either way. Luke pushes the door open gently and sticks his head in, to find Reid sitting up in bed pouring over medical journals. He's sitting cross legged and his glasses are skewed, but Luke still finds himself caught up. Maybe even struggling to catch his breath for how stunning the man in his bed is, and how amazing it is that someone so incredible could ever feel anything for him.

“Hey.” Luke speaks softly, even though there's no real need.

Reid looks up, and Luke would swear that he almost smiles. But the days events catch up with them, and the smirk turns into a frown and Luke feels his stomach drop again.

“Hey.” Reid replies, dropping a journal and taking off his glasses. “I wasn't sure whether you'd be back.”

Luke toes off his shoes and throws them into the corner of the room, before changing into sweatpants and a t-shirt, all without answering Reid.

“Yeah, well. I'm back.”

“I'm glad.” Reid says finally, and Luke lets go of his breath.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Listen, I'm sorry about today.” Reid starts, as he folds down a side of the bed for Luke.

“Me too. I don't know why this is so hard.”

“Neither do I.” Reid admits, and Luke is humbled by his honesty.

“I wanted things to be perfect.” Luke confesses, and he realises how ridiculous it is as he says it out loud. “I just wanted us to be happy.”

“Come on, Luke. Things were never going to be perfect. It's us.” Reid laughs, breaking the tension. “And as for being happy, you're an idiot. I am happy. I'm deliriously, stupidly, obscenely, over the moon happy.”

“Really?” Luke asks, surprised and touched. “You are?”

“Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be? Because we're bickering like an old married couple? Get over yourself kid, it takes more than that to make me unhappy.” Reid smirks, nudging into Luke before wrapping an arm around his shoulder and pulling Luke towards him. “Aren't you?”

“Yeah, I am. I mean, I'm not saying it's easy. Because it's not. You're pretty trying sometimes. And before you interrupt, I know I am too.” Luke playfully hits Reid's chest, admonishing him before he has a chance to jump in. “But you make me happy, and sleeping in our bed with you every night makes me happy.”

“Good. I'm glad.” Reid leans down and kisses Luke gently, running a hand along his side and tugging him a little closer. “We're always going to fight, Luke. It's who we are. And today we took it too far, but it probably won't be the last time. Just know that despite what I say or do sometimes, I'm always going to want you to come home.”

“I'll keep that in mind.” Luke sighs contentedly, switching off the light and curling up under Reid's arm.

“What made you decide to come back?” Reid asks curiously just before they fall asleep.

Luke yawns and pulls Reid's arm tighter around his waist.

“Something a friend said. A good friend.”