The LAst Doughnut Part Six
Title: The Last Doughnut
Author: Marsabi
Summary: When Damian disinherits Luke, can he survive in the “real” world? Will he drive Reid crazy in the process?
Disclaimer: Owned by ATWT
Rating: PG- NC-17 (depends on chapter)
Warning: None
A companion to Camp Queer
Thanks traciamc for the read
Previous chapter:
http://marsabi.livejournal.com/21005.html
Part 6 Last Doughnut
There was no escape. Reid tried to deny it, ignore it, hide from it.
But Luke was a terrible waiter. Being Luke, he worked extremely hard. Reid watched him at his first shift. He scurried around, frantically setting up tables and filling up ketchup and mustard bottles. Then he stacked the jelly, and put out the shakers of pepper and salt. He moved carefully, biting his tongue in earnest concentration. He looked that same way whenever Reid taught him something new in bed.
Luke had made coffee, awful, watery stuff that Reid had forced down his throat. Coffee grains were on the side of his cup. Reid winced, but drank it because Luke’s expressive eyes were on him.
Then the breakfast crowd poured in the diner. At first, Reid thought Luke might do a decent job. His first customers appeared happy. Luke was laughing and talking to a young couple, completely charming them with stories of traveling in Europe. It would have gone well if Luke had actually paid attention to their food. While he chatted on and on, he’d let their eggs turn cold and runny. Luke was so busy describing the wonders of Malta, that he failed to even notice the problem. The couple tasted their breakfast and exchanged looks. Luke beamed at them so sweetly that the poor couple had smiled bravely and eaten it.
His next table was a family. The children whined and played with the jam, smearing some on the walls. The mother tuned it all out, texting on her phone. The boys at the table soon had a sword fight with their forks. Luke politely tried to stop them, but the parents ignored it. The father only wanted to know if his little crumb-snatchers could eat for free.
“Free?” Luke looked around puzzled.
“Yes, do kids eat free today. They do right?” The man demanded.
“I- I guess so,” Luke nodded, “Sure.” Luke nervously shredded a napkin in one hand, saw what he was doing, and quickly stuffed it away. He wore a big button on his apron that read “Ask me about our Big Sized Burgers!”
Reid was pretty certain Al’s had no ‘ Kids Eat for Free’ days. He groaned to himself at his seat. Well, it was his very first day. Maybe he would improve.
Just minutes later, Luke walked past him carrying a tray of juice glasses, “It’s going really well,” he excitedly whispered to Reid. Then he dropped the tray. A sticky mess of juice and glass covered the floor. Luke looked startled.
Henry ran out of the kitchen with a mop, and Reid had the feeling Henry was already regretting hiring Luke. Watching Hank becoming flustered was the only good part of the whole disaster, at least for Reid.
Luke, meanwhile, had moved on with determination to his next table. He greeted the two men enthusiastically , pumping their hands up and down like they were long lost friends. Reid watched his perky stride as he fetched the men their breakfast. He practically sashayed around the restaurant. That made Reid hide a smile behind his menu; Luke probably wouldn’t like being told he sashayed. Pranced maybe? Nope, he wouldn’t like to be told that either.
Luke was nodding at the two men, listening to their stories as he poured them cups of his horrendous coffee. Reid glanced up at the clock on the wall of the diner. He really needed to get to work. He glanced at Luke again.
Luke looked across the way at him and smiled.
Reid couldn’t help thinking Luke was like walking sunshine, and the world was dull before him. Reid picked up his things and stood up. He also couldn’t help thinking Luke might be fired by the time he returned from work. He hesitated by Al’s front door. He wasn’t certain he should leave.
Luke seemed oblivious to his job hanging by a thread. He waved a cheery goodbye to Reid and took his next table’s order.
***
At Memorial, Reid was not off to a great start either. To his surprise, he had apparently missed a meeting scheduled for after lunch. He frowned down at his date book. He always kept the planner and his pencil on his desk, and he always meticulously wrote down his appointments. But somehow this meeting had not been there. Bob had expressed his unhappiness. Chris had gloated. Reid had briefly wondered if Chris hadn’t snuck in and erased his notes.
Then, the nurse Reid requested as his OR nurse never showed up. She had been requested by another doctor too, and that wasn’t supposed to happen. The doctor argued that the nurse was assigned to him that day. That led Reid to a pretty ugly exchange with the skinny, flat-assed doctor. Luke would be disappointed in him. He’d actually made the doctor tear up. That had been a first. Usually he only made the nurses cry. He’d ended up using that ditzy Gretchen in the OR, who met all his orders with a blank expression. She almost passed out, when Reid peeled the skin back off the patient’s face and dug into his frontal lobe.
***
During the evening rush at Al’s, relieved to be done at the hospital, Reid could only watch his boyfriend in horror as he went from one dining disaster to another.
The first lady Luke took an order from wanted her steak well done, but he forgot to put the order in while he had played a game of peek-a-boo with a nearby toddler. When he’d finally realized it, Luke had tried sticking the steak in the microwave to speed up the cooking process. Of course, the poor lady bit into a steak that tasted like a rubber tire. She picked up her knife, cutting at it furiously, while Luke apologized profusely.
Meanwhile, a gaggle of teenage girls were there too, ordering desserts and giggling over Luke. He had smiled at them and blushed.
“What can I get you?” he asked them.
One of the girls dropped her fork. Luke bent over to retrieve it.
“Oops,” the girl said.
Luke picked it up, looking puzzled at the girls’ giggles. As he finished the order, a second girl deliberately dropped a spoon this time. Luke bent over once again.
The girls found this hilarious. They checked out his ass gleefully. Reid couldn’t really blame them there. Those girls were the only customers of the day he didn’t think were complete morons.
Taking a quick, appreciative glance of Luke’s ripe ass himself, Reid quietly snuck upstairs to his apartment. He couldn’t watch any more of Luke’s mistakes.
***
When he knew that Luke’s shift was over, Reid came down. He sought out Luke and found him sitting in a booth, groaning.
“Not a great day” Reid asked, sliding into the booth.
“It went okay, I think,” Luke said, “ It’s pretty hard.”
Reid nodded. He was about to be honest with Luke and tell him flat out what a crap waiter he was, when Luke added, “I’m exhausted.” He really did have circles under his Bambi eyes.
“Come here,” Reid commanded, and Luke moved over to him.
Reid picked Luke’s legs up and pulled off his socks and sneakers. He gently rubbed Luke’s feet.
Luke practically moaned in pleasure, “You have no idea how good that feels. “ He sighed. “How did you know my feet would be so sore?”
Reid just shrugged. He had waited tables through college. He remembered aching feet. Of course, Reid had been a fantastic waiter. He never forgot an order, he always refilled drinks, and he was always efficient. Talking to the customers had been the only tricky part. He’d just ignored them as they complained endlessly and occupied his mind with his chess moves or college exam questions.
He massaged Luke’s toes some more. “There are other jobs,” he said quietly. He thought about suggesting Luke try and find a job writing. It was a touchy subject though, because of his family.
“Oh, no,” Luke answered and lifted his head to shoot Reid a big, goofy smile, his dimples flashing, “I couldn’t let Henry down. Besides, my feet will get used to it. It was my first day.”
“Sure,” Reid nodded.
“Tomorrow will be fine,” Luke added optimistically, and Reid couldn’t help smiling at him. That was the thing he was discovering about Luke; underneath his sweetness was a giant, stubborn streak. Part of Reid wanted to knock some sense into him, but another part of him admired Luke’s determination .
But the next day, at Luke’s breakfast shift, disasters continued. Reid had overslept, but as he walked into Al’s he took it all in. A bunch of rowdy college boys were shooting spitballs, and a man was insisting on bringing in his drooling dog. Worst of all, an older couple kept complaining and sending back their food.
“These eggs are too dry,” the old lady whined, “they taste like cardboard, no flavor. “
“You said plain and no butter,” Luke answered in confusion.
“Make them again,’ the lady ordered him.
Luke brought out new ones.
“These eggs are too oily,” the old man said. “We both have high blood pressure , you know?
Trying to put us in an early grave? “
“Sorry!” Luke quickly said again.”You said to add flavor…” When they just shook their heads at him, Luke took away the eggs.
After catering to the old couple’s every complaint, Luke came back to an empty table and no tip.
He glanced that them with a stunned, hurt face as they were walking out the door.
“We’re on a budget, “ the old man had just shrugged.
“Fixed income, “the old lady added.
Luke just nodded and then smiled, forgivingly. Reid was only surprised that Luke didn’t give them his own few dollars. Reid sighed. He hoped that couple would end up at Memorial one day soon, and he could show them something to really complain about. For now, he watched as the boys flung more spitballs, and the man demanded more syrup, and Luke bounced back and forth like an abused pinball.
As Luke finally had a moment to approach him, Reid drew in a deep breath. This was it.
He was done with this idiocy. His boyfriend was not going to put up with this crap. Reid was not going to watch him put up with it.
He had to tell Luke that he sucked, it was the kinder thing to do. Reid watched Luke walk to him, wiping one greasy hand on his forehead. Luke’s other hand was in his apron pocket. He started to open his mouth and give Luke a stern lecture.
“Here,” Luke whispered , interrupting Reid, as he bent down and brushed a quick kiss over Reid’s lips. Luke was finally beginning to give him affection in public.
“What?” Reid asked. He was irritated that Luke had cut him off. But he also took in Luke’s appearance. Luke looked messy, and sweaty and his hair was all floppy. His bashful smile made it clear that Luke probably thought he looked awful without his normal time to primp or use his million hair products. Reid thought he looked edible.
Luke glanced around for Henry or Vienna, and then he pulled a big powdered doughnut, wrapped in plastic wrap, out of his apron pocket.
“For you,” Luke beamed. “I save you the last doughnut.” He pressed it into Reid’s hand. “I know you got up late today. I know how you love the doughnuts. “
Powdered doughnuts made Reid salivate. He devoured them. Many times, he managed to grab one at the diner, but other times they were long gone before he came downstairs. He had often whined to Luke about missing his favorite breakfast fix, but he hadn’t thought Luke had been listening to him.
Reid stared into his boyfriend’s sweet face. He unwrapped the doughnut and automatically bit down into the sugary snack.
“Thanks,” Reid murmured gruffly. All thoughts of his prepared speech to Luke fled from his mind.
Luke crossed his arms and observed Reid’s happy face. “You’re more excited by that doughnut than you were at the flowers I brought on our first date.”
Reid glanced up at him, a thin film of sugar already on his mouth. “What can I say? “ He shrugged, “Doughnuts are very romantic.” He offered Luke a warm smile.
Luke shook his head at him. “I’ll have to remember that,” he laughed.
“You do that,” Reid told him, and took a second bite. He closed his eyes in ecstasy.
Every day after, Luke saved him the last doughnut. That whole week, he’d offer one to Reid as he left for Memorial, or Reid would find it on a tray outside of his apartment door. Sometimes there was milk with it too.
Every morning, Reid tried to tell Luke that his waiter skills were terrible. And then he’d see the doughnut.
***
It was Luke’s day off. Reid knew that he was going to see his grandmother; she had just arrived in town. But he had remembered the doughnut- it was waiting on a tray outside of his door. Luke had spent a long, delicious night in his arms. They’d had sex in Reid’s shower, on his floor, in his bed. Luke was demanding one moment and whimpering the next. His energy had been endless, amazing. Then again, sex with Luke was never boring or predictable, and it wasn’t just because of all the different positions they tried. It was Luke. They way he gave himself- so completely, so trustingly - going wherever Reid would take him. It was that expression of pleased delight on his face every time he made Reid moan, and it was that expression of intense, almost painful joy sweeping across Luke’s features just before his own orgasm rocked through his body.
Reid was stunned Luke could walk, much less remember to grab him a doughnut on his way out.
Reid sighed as he picked up the treat. This whole situation was beginning to scare the shit out of him. Sometimes, it was all Reid could do not to babble stupidly in Luke’s arms.
As he made his way downstairs, he found Henry and Vienna huddled by the kitchen, whispering back and forth. They broke off guilty when they spotted Reid.
They looked at him.
“I’m sorry, “ Vienna told him, “but we are trying to find a way to let Luke go.”
“No!”Reid protested, “You can’t. He’ll be…You just can’t.”
“It isn’t working,’ Henry said, his eyes truly sorry, “ He ‘s a great kid, but an awful waiter- “
“It’s his first week!”
"He broken several plates and glasses, he let people eat for free, he burns food or serves it cold , he- “
“Okay , Okay- “ Reid cut him off. “I’ll pay you,” Reid interrupted, “for those plates and glasses. “
Henry stared at him.
“He’ll improve,” Reid said quickly.
Henry and Vienna exchanged looks.
“Hank?”Reid added, but his name sounded like please. “Think of Luke’s pride. This is his first job.”
The two men looked at each other.
“Alright,” Henry said, rolling his eyes. “One more week - a trial. “ Then he gave Reid a disgusted glare. “Appealing to my sense of honor -a low blow!”
“I know, “ Reid grinned at him, “morality can be a bitch.”
Henry grinned back a second, and then went into the kitchen.
Vienna smiled widely at Reid.
“What?” Reid asked, irritated.
“You know, “she laughed.
“No. I don’t.” Reid tried to walk away from her, but she followed him outside the diner.
“When are you going to tell Luke? “ She asked.
“Tell him what? That he sucks as a waiter? I hope never.”
“No,” Vienna touched Reid’s arm, “that you love him?”
“I- what? “ Reid sputtered. “Love? Why are you bringing love into this?”
Vienna just stared at him. She cocked her head to one side. “So you don’t love him?”
Reid eyes narrowed. “Love is - “ he waved his hand , “so not the point here. Luke deserves a fair shot to improve and…” He trailed off as Vienna continued to smile at him. “Oh, put that dumb grin away,” Reid snapped. “Even if I did, love him,” Reid said, “What’s it matter? “
“Well, I think he loves you too and - “
Reid shook his head at her. “I’m his first” , he told Vienna impatiently. “We all think we love our first, but it’s just a crush. Just that combination of hormones and gratitude.”
Vienna clucked her tongue in a disapproving sound, “I think you’re wrong. You should find out. Give it a chance.”
“Thanks, mom,” Reid drawled, his features tight and closed off. “But spare me advice from the woman who keeps Hank warm at night.”
Vienna sighed. Reid was so stubborn. Why couldn’t he see that Luke was a sensitive man, the type who only loved truly and deeply?
“Fine,“ she said to Reid, “keep it all bottled inside.”
“Fine,” Reid agreed, “Can you stop pestering me now? What is it with the people in this town in everybody else’s business? “ He hurried away from her, feeling like he might crawl out of his skin.
***
Vienna watched him stride away. She bit her lips and tried not to laugh at him. Maybe Henry would want to play the Virgin and the Doctor in bed that night- such a lovely, lovely game.
Author: Marsabi
Summary: When Damian disinherits Luke, can he survive in the “real” world? Will he drive Reid crazy in the process?
Disclaimer: Owned by ATWT
Rating: PG- NC-17 (depends on chapter)
Warning: None
A companion to Camp Queer
Thanks traciamc for the read
Previous chapter:
http://marsabi.livejournal.com/21005.html
Part 6 Last Doughnut
There was no escape. Reid tried to deny it, ignore it, hide from it.
But Luke was a terrible waiter. Being Luke, he worked extremely hard. Reid watched him at his first shift. He scurried around, frantically setting up tables and filling up ketchup and mustard bottles. Then he stacked the jelly, and put out the shakers of pepper and salt. He moved carefully, biting his tongue in earnest concentration. He looked that same way whenever Reid taught him something new in bed.
Luke had made coffee, awful, watery stuff that Reid had forced down his throat. Coffee grains were on the side of his cup. Reid winced, but drank it because Luke’s expressive eyes were on him.
Then the breakfast crowd poured in the diner. At first, Reid thought Luke might do a decent job. His first customers appeared happy. Luke was laughing and talking to a young couple, completely charming them with stories of traveling in Europe. It would have gone well if Luke had actually paid attention to their food. While he chatted on and on, he’d let their eggs turn cold and runny. Luke was so busy describing the wonders of Malta, that he failed to even notice the problem. The couple tasted their breakfast and exchanged looks. Luke beamed at them so sweetly that the poor couple had smiled bravely and eaten it.
His next table was a family. The children whined and played with the jam, smearing some on the walls. The mother tuned it all out, texting on her phone. The boys at the table soon had a sword fight with their forks. Luke politely tried to stop them, but the parents ignored it. The father only wanted to know if his little crumb-snatchers could eat for free.
“Free?” Luke looked around puzzled.
“Yes, do kids eat free today. They do right?” The man demanded.
“I- I guess so,” Luke nodded, “Sure.” Luke nervously shredded a napkin in one hand, saw what he was doing, and quickly stuffed it away. He wore a big button on his apron that read “Ask me about our Big Sized Burgers!”
Reid was pretty certain Al’s had no ‘ Kids Eat for Free’ days. He groaned to himself at his seat. Well, it was his very first day. Maybe he would improve.
Just minutes later, Luke walked past him carrying a tray of juice glasses, “It’s going really well,” he excitedly whispered to Reid. Then he dropped the tray. A sticky mess of juice and glass covered the floor. Luke looked startled.
Henry ran out of the kitchen with a mop, and Reid had the feeling Henry was already regretting hiring Luke. Watching Hank becoming flustered was the only good part of the whole disaster, at least for Reid.
Luke, meanwhile, had moved on with determination to his next table. He greeted the two men enthusiastically , pumping their hands up and down like they were long lost friends. Reid watched his perky stride as he fetched the men their breakfast. He practically sashayed around the restaurant. That made Reid hide a smile behind his menu; Luke probably wouldn’t like being told he sashayed. Pranced maybe? Nope, he wouldn’t like to be told that either.
Luke was nodding at the two men, listening to their stories as he poured them cups of his horrendous coffee. Reid glanced up at the clock on the wall of the diner. He really needed to get to work. He glanced at Luke again.
Luke looked across the way at him and smiled.
Reid couldn’t help thinking Luke was like walking sunshine, and the world was dull before him. Reid picked up his things and stood up. He also couldn’t help thinking Luke might be fired by the time he returned from work. He hesitated by Al’s front door. He wasn’t certain he should leave.
Luke seemed oblivious to his job hanging by a thread. He waved a cheery goodbye to Reid and took his next table’s order.
***
At Memorial, Reid was not off to a great start either. To his surprise, he had apparently missed a meeting scheduled for after lunch. He frowned down at his date book. He always kept the planner and his pencil on his desk, and he always meticulously wrote down his appointments. But somehow this meeting had not been there. Bob had expressed his unhappiness. Chris had gloated. Reid had briefly wondered if Chris hadn’t snuck in and erased his notes.
Then, the nurse Reid requested as his OR nurse never showed up. She had been requested by another doctor too, and that wasn’t supposed to happen. The doctor argued that the nurse was assigned to him that day. That led Reid to a pretty ugly exchange with the skinny, flat-assed doctor. Luke would be disappointed in him. He’d actually made the doctor tear up. That had been a first. Usually he only made the nurses cry. He’d ended up using that ditzy Gretchen in the OR, who met all his orders with a blank expression. She almost passed out, when Reid peeled the skin back off the patient’s face and dug into his frontal lobe.
***
During the evening rush at Al’s, relieved to be done at the hospital, Reid could only watch his boyfriend in horror as he went from one dining disaster to another.
The first lady Luke took an order from wanted her steak well done, but he forgot to put the order in while he had played a game of peek-a-boo with a nearby toddler. When he’d finally realized it, Luke had tried sticking the steak in the microwave to speed up the cooking process. Of course, the poor lady bit into a steak that tasted like a rubber tire. She picked up her knife, cutting at it furiously, while Luke apologized profusely.
Meanwhile, a gaggle of teenage girls were there too, ordering desserts and giggling over Luke. He had smiled at them and blushed.
“What can I get you?” he asked them.
One of the girls dropped her fork. Luke bent over to retrieve it.
“Oops,” the girl said.
Luke picked it up, looking puzzled at the girls’ giggles. As he finished the order, a second girl deliberately dropped a spoon this time. Luke bent over once again.
The girls found this hilarious. They checked out his ass gleefully. Reid couldn’t really blame them there. Those girls were the only customers of the day he didn’t think were complete morons.
Taking a quick, appreciative glance of Luke’s ripe ass himself, Reid quietly snuck upstairs to his apartment. He couldn’t watch any more of Luke’s mistakes.
***
When he knew that Luke’s shift was over, Reid came down. He sought out Luke and found him sitting in a booth, groaning.
“Not a great day” Reid asked, sliding into the booth.
“It went okay, I think,” Luke said, “ It’s pretty hard.”
Reid nodded. He was about to be honest with Luke and tell him flat out what a crap waiter he was, when Luke added, “I’m exhausted.” He really did have circles under his Bambi eyes.
“Come here,” Reid commanded, and Luke moved over to him.
Reid picked Luke’s legs up and pulled off his socks and sneakers. He gently rubbed Luke’s feet.
Luke practically moaned in pleasure, “You have no idea how good that feels. “ He sighed. “How did you know my feet would be so sore?”
Reid just shrugged. He had waited tables through college. He remembered aching feet. Of course, Reid had been a fantastic waiter. He never forgot an order, he always refilled drinks, and he was always efficient. Talking to the customers had been the only tricky part. He’d just ignored them as they complained endlessly and occupied his mind with his chess moves or college exam questions.
He massaged Luke’s toes some more. “There are other jobs,” he said quietly. He thought about suggesting Luke try and find a job writing. It was a touchy subject though, because of his family.
“Oh, no,” Luke answered and lifted his head to shoot Reid a big, goofy smile, his dimples flashing, “I couldn’t let Henry down. Besides, my feet will get used to it. It was my first day.”
“Sure,” Reid nodded.
“Tomorrow will be fine,” Luke added optimistically, and Reid couldn’t help smiling at him. That was the thing he was discovering about Luke; underneath his sweetness was a giant, stubborn streak. Part of Reid wanted to knock some sense into him, but another part of him admired Luke’s determination .
But the next day, at Luke’s breakfast shift, disasters continued. Reid had overslept, but as he walked into Al’s he took it all in. A bunch of rowdy college boys were shooting spitballs, and a man was insisting on bringing in his drooling dog. Worst of all, an older couple kept complaining and sending back their food.
“These eggs are too dry,” the old lady whined, “they taste like cardboard, no flavor. “
“You said plain and no butter,” Luke answered in confusion.
“Make them again,’ the lady ordered him.
Luke brought out new ones.
“These eggs are too oily,” the old man said. “We both have high blood pressure , you know?
Trying to put us in an early grave? “
“Sorry!” Luke quickly said again.”You said to add flavor…” When they just shook their heads at him, Luke took away the eggs.
After catering to the old couple’s every complaint, Luke came back to an empty table and no tip.
He glanced that them with a stunned, hurt face as they were walking out the door.
“We’re on a budget, “ the old man had just shrugged.
“Fixed income, “the old lady added.
Luke just nodded and then smiled, forgivingly. Reid was only surprised that Luke didn’t give them his own few dollars. Reid sighed. He hoped that couple would end up at Memorial one day soon, and he could show them something to really complain about. For now, he watched as the boys flung more spitballs, and the man demanded more syrup, and Luke bounced back and forth like an abused pinball.
As Luke finally had a moment to approach him, Reid drew in a deep breath. This was it.
He was done with this idiocy. His boyfriend was not going to put up with this crap. Reid was not going to watch him put up with it.
He had to tell Luke that he sucked, it was the kinder thing to do. Reid watched Luke walk to him, wiping one greasy hand on his forehead. Luke’s other hand was in his apron pocket. He started to open his mouth and give Luke a stern lecture.
“Here,” Luke whispered , interrupting Reid, as he bent down and brushed a quick kiss over Reid’s lips. Luke was finally beginning to give him affection in public.
“What?” Reid asked. He was irritated that Luke had cut him off. But he also took in Luke’s appearance. Luke looked messy, and sweaty and his hair was all floppy. His bashful smile made it clear that Luke probably thought he looked awful without his normal time to primp or use his million hair products. Reid thought he looked edible.
Luke glanced around for Henry or Vienna, and then he pulled a big powdered doughnut, wrapped in plastic wrap, out of his apron pocket.
“For you,” Luke beamed. “I save you the last doughnut.” He pressed it into Reid’s hand. “I know you got up late today. I know how you love the doughnuts. “
Powdered doughnuts made Reid salivate. He devoured them. Many times, he managed to grab one at the diner, but other times they were long gone before he came downstairs. He had often whined to Luke about missing his favorite breakfast fix, but he hadn’t thought Luke had been listening to him.
Reid stared into his boyfriend’s sweet face. He unwrapped the doughnut and automatically bit down into the sugary snack.
“Thanks,” Reid murmured gruffly. All thoughts of his prepared speech to Luke fled from his mind.
Luke crossed his arms and observed Reid’s happy face. “You’re more excited by that doughnut than you were at the flowers I brought on our first date.”
Reid glanced up at him, a thin film of sugar already on his mouth. “What can I say? “ He shrugged, “Doughnuts are very romantic.” He offered Luke a warm smile.
Luke shook his head at him. “I’ll have to remember that,” he laughed.
“You do that,” Reid told him, and took a second bite. He closed his eyes in ecstasy.
Every day after, Luke saved him the last doughnut. That whole week, he’d offer one to Reid as he left for Memorial, or Reid would find it on a tray outside of his apartment door. Sometimes there was milk with it too.
Every morning, Reid tried to tell Luke that his waiter skills were terrible. And then he’d see the doughnut.
***
It was Luke’s day off. Reid knew that he was going to see his grandmother; she had just arrived in town. But he had remembered the doughnut- it was waiting on a tray outside of his door. Luke had spent a long, delicious night in his arms. They’d had sex in Reid’s shower, on his floor, in his bed. Luke was demanding one moment and whimpering the next. His energy had been endless, amazing. Then again, sex with Luke was never boring or predictable, and it wasn’t just because of all the different positions they tried. It was Luke. They way he gave himself- so completely, so trustingly - going wherever Reid would take him. It was that expression of pleased delight on his face every time he made Reid moan, and it was that expression of intense, almost painful joy sweeping across Luke’s features just before his own orgasm rocked through his body.
Reid was stunned Luke could walk, much less remember to grab him a doughnut on his way out.
Reid sighed as he picked up the treat. This whole situation was beginning to scare the shit out of him. Sometimes, it was all Reid could do not to babble stupidly in Luke’s arms.
As he made his way downstairs, he found Henry and Vienna huddled by the kitchen, whispering back and forth. They broke off guilty when they spotted Reid.
They looked at him.
“I’m sorry, “ Vienna told him, “but we are trying to find a way to let Luke go.”
“No!”Reid protested, “You can’t. He’ll be…You just can’t.”
“It isn’t working,’ Henry said, his eyes truly sorry, “ He ‘s a great kid, but an awful waiter- “
“It’s his first week!”
"He broken several plates and glasses, he let people eat for free, he burns food or serves it cold , he- “
“Okay , Okay- “ Reid cut him off. “I’ll pay you,” Reid interrupted, “for those plates and glasses. “
Henry stared at him.
“He’ll improve,” Reid said quickly.
Henry and Vienna exchanged looks.
“Hank?”Reid added, but his name sounded like please. “Think of Luke’s pride. This is his first job.”
The two men looked at each other.
“Alright,” Henry said, rolling his eyes. “One more week - a trial. “ Then he gave Reid a disgusted glare. “Appealing to my sense of honor -a low blow!”
“I know, “ Reid grinned at him, “morality can be a bitch.”
Henry grinned back a second, and then went into the kitchen.
Vienna smiled widely at Reid.
“What?” Reid asked, irritated.
“You know, “she laughed.
“No. I don’t.” Reid tried to walk away from her, but she followed him outside the diner.
“When are you going to tell Luke? “ She asked.
“Tell him what? That he sucks as a waiter? I hope never.”
“No,” Vienna touched Reid’s arm, “that you love him?”
“I- what? “ Reid sputtered. “Love? Why are you bringing love into this?”
Vienna just stared at him. She cocked her head to one side. “So you don’t love him?”
Reid eyes narrowed. “Love is - “ he waved his hand , “so not the point here. Luke deserves a fair shot to improve and…” He trailed off as Vienna continued to smile at him. “Oh, put that dumb grin away,” Reid snapped. “Even if I did, love him,” Reid said, “What’s it matter? “
“Well, I think he loves you too and - “
Reid shook his head at her. “I’m his first” , he told Vienna impatiently. “We all think we love our first, but it’s just a crush. Just that combination of hormones and gratitude.”
Vienna clucked her tongue in a disapproving sound, “I think you’re wrong. You should find out. Give it a chance.”
“Thanks, mom,” Reid drawled, his features tight and closed off. “But spare me advice from the woman who keeps Hank warm at night.”
Vienna sighed. Reid was so stubborn. Why couldn’t he see that Luke was a sensitive man, the type who only loved truly and deeply?
“Fine,“ she said to Reid, “keep it all bottled inside.”
“Fine,” Reid agreed, “Can you stop pestering me now? What is it with the people in this town in everybody else’s business? “ He hurried away from her, feeling like he might crawl out of his skin.
***
Vienna watched him stride away. She bit her lips and tried not to laugh at him. Maybe Henry would want to play the Virgin and the Doctor in bed that night- such a lovely, lovely game.