LuRe Fic: 525,600 Minutes (40/40)
“Welcome, you have all come today to witness and celebrate the joining of Luke and Reid as partners in love and life. Love is perhaps the most profound experience that we can have. The sensual part of love is one of life's greatest joys, and when this is combined with real friendship, both are infinitely enhanced. The day-to-day companionship, the pleasure in doing things together, or in doing separate things but delighting to exchange experiences, is a continuous and central joy that those in love share together.”
Luke was lost in Reid’s eyes and missed a lot of what the minister said after that. Reid’s eyes that were glistening not only from the thousands of candles and twinkle lights but also from the tears that had formed there. It wasn’t often that Reid got emotional about things but today was a rare occasion. Today he was marrying Luke. The man that he had loved from before their first kiss. The man that he had finally opened himself up to. The man that he had shared everything with over the last year. It hadn’t all been perfect. They had their ups and downs as any couple would. But that wasn’t what was important. The thing that mattered most was that after everything they were standing here…together. Ready and willing to take the other for who they were and love each other no matter what came their way. This is what Luke was lost in. It was as if he could see this all swimming in the blue oceans of Reid’s eyes.
They caught the tail end of what the minister was saying and it was a good thing because they were finally getting to the good part. “Remember always that love, loyalty, and trust are the foundations of a lasting and happy union. As you strive to fulfill the commitment that you declare to one another here, your life together can be increasingly full of joy, satisfaction, and peace. I pray that you will hold fast to the vision and the promise of this special day.” The minister paused to let this all sink in a little before turning to Luke. “Luke, do you take Reid …” Luke didn’t hear anything after Reid’s name. He didn’t need to. He only needed to wait for the silence because his answer was all that mattered.
“I do” He said squeezing Reid’s hand a little giving him that patented Luke Snyder smile.
The minister turned to Reid now and spoke again. “Reid, do you take Luke as your partner in life, promising to tenderly care for him, to respect his individuality, to cherish him as he is, and to love him with fidelity?” Reid on the other hand wanted to hear the words. Let them sink in. Let them become a part of him because this was now the most important job he had. His whole life he had worked to become a surgeon. And for a long time that was all that mattered to him. His job was the only thing that he lived for. But not anymore. He liked to believe that it wasn’t after today but then he would just be lying to himself. Because really it was that first day walking up to an annoying blonde kid in the halls of Memorial Hospital. It was that first sight of him and those wide brown eyes that lit up for him even though he was being a dick.
“I do” So he said it. Not just for today or for tomorrow. But forever. Because no matter what life brought their way he knew that Luke would be the only one to occupy his heart.
“Luke repeat after me ...’”
Luke inhaled deeply. This was it. Looking into Reid’s eyes he spoke “I, Luke, take you, Reid, to be my beloved partner in life, to stand behind, beside and with you always, in times of celebration and in times of sorrow, in times of joy and in times of pain, in times of sickness and in times of health. I will live with you, love and cherish you as long as we both shall live.”
“Reid repeat after me...’”
Reid’s heart fluttered just a little looking at Luke. He could see everything that Luke was feeling and it was almost overwhelming. Almost. The only thing that allowed him to keep it together was that he loved Luke just as much. If not more. “I, Reid, take you, Luke, to be my beloved partner in life, to stand behind, beside and with you always, in times of celebration and in times of sorrow, in times of joy and in times of pain, in times of sickness and in times of health. I will live with you, love and cherish you as long as we both shall live.”
“Now the Rings.” Luke turned around and took the ring from Casey who despite himself was trying to fight back the tears that were welling up in his eyes. He had never seen his best friend so happy. Luke smiled at him in thanks before turning back to Reid. “Luke place the ring on Reid’s finger and repeat after me...”
“In giving you this ring I marry you and join my life with yours.” Luke slid the ring on to Reid’s finger shaking slightly in his unbelievable joy. Once it was all the way on he looked up at Reid wanting to kiss him so badly.
“Now Reid, Place the ring on Luke’s finger and repeat after me…”
Reid’s hands were also shaking. But not from nervousness. From excitement. He never could have imagined this life for himself. Never could have dreamed that he could be this happy. But he was and it was all because of Luke. Everything he had done in his life had led him to this, to Luke and he was never letting go. “In giving you this ring I marry you and join my life with yours.”
“With the promises they have made to one another, and by the power of their love, Luke and Reid have been joined in a spiritual union. They are now partners sharing one life from this day forward. An ancient belief proclaims that when a couple in love kisses, a little bit of each other's soul is transported to abide in the other. At what better time than now to share your souls and a kiss.”
Luke and Reid lovingly gazed at each other in anticipation. Reid leaned in and placed the most gentlest of kisses on Luke’s smiling lips as their friends and family cheered in the back ground. But neither really heard a thing. All they could hear was the beating of each other’s heart. All they could see was each other. Reid was now complete. With one small kiss a lifelong need had been filled. Luke was his. And he was Luke’s. At last. At long, long last.
Epilogue
Luke was lost in Reid’s eyes and missed a lot of what the minister said after that. Reid’s eyes that were glistening not only from the thousands of candles and twinkle lights but also from the tears that had formed there. It wasn’t often that Reid got emotional about things but today was a rare occasion. Today he was marrying Luke. The man that he had loved from before their first kiss. The man that he had finally opened himself up to. The man that he had shared everything with over the last year. It hadn’t all been perfect. They had their ups and downs as any couple would. But that wasn’t what was important. The thing that mattered most was that after everything they were standing here…together. Ready and willing to take the other for who they were and love each other no matter what came their way. This is what Luke was lost in. It was as if he could see this all swimming in the blue oceans of Reid’s eyes.
They caught the tail end of what the minister was saying and it was a good thing because they were finally getting to the good part. “Remember always that love, loyalty, and trust are the foundations of a lasting and happy union. As you strive to fulfill the commitment that you declare to one another here, your life together can be increasingly full of joy, satisfaction, and peace. I pray that you will hold fast to the vision and the promise of this special day.” The minister paused to let this all sink in a little before turning to Luke. “Luke, do you take Reid …” Luke didn’t hear anything after Reid’s name. He didn’t need to. He only needed to wait for the silence because his answer was all that mattered.
“I do” He said squeezing Reid’s hand a little giving him that patented Luke Snyder smile.
The minister turned to Reid now and spoke again. “Reid, do you take Luke as your partner in life, promising to tenderly care for him, to respect his individuality, to cherish him as he is, and to love him with fidelity?” Reid on the other hand wanted to hear the words. Let them sink in. Let them become a part of him because this was now the most important job he had. His whole life he had worked to become a surgeon. And for a long time that was all that mattered to him. His job was the only thing that he lived for. But not anymore. He liked to believe that it wasn’t after today but then he would just be lying to himself. Because really it was that first day walking up to an annoying blonde kid in the halls of Memorial Hospital. It was that first sight of him and those wide brown eyes that lit up for him even though he was being a dick.
“I do” So he said it. Not just for today or for tomorrow. But forever. Because no matter what life brought their way he knew that Luke would be the only one to occupy his heart.
“Luke repeat after me ...’”
Luke inhaled deeply. This was it. Looking into Reid’s eyes he spoke “I, Luke, take you, Reid, to be my beloved partner in life, to stand behind, beside and with you always, in times of celebration and in times of sorrow, in times of joy and in times of pain, in times of sickness and in times of health. I will live with you, love and cherish you as long as we both shall live.”
“Reid repeat after me...’”
Reid’s heart fluttered just a little looking at Luke. He could see everything that Luke was feeling and it was almost overwhelming. Almost. The only thing that allowed him to keep it together was that he loved Luke just as much. If not more. “I, Reid, take you, Luke, to be my beloved partner in life, to stand behind, beside and with you always, in times of celebration and in times of sorrow, in times of joy and in times of pain, in times of sickness and in times of health. I will live with you, love and cherish you as long as we both shall live.”
“Now the Rings.” Luke turned around and took the ring from Casey who despite himself was trying to fight back the tears that were welling up in his eyes. He had never seen his best friend so happy. Luke smiled at him in thanks before turning back to Reid. “Luke place the ring on Reid’s finger and repeat after me...”
“In giving you this ring I marry you and join my life with yours.” Luke slid the ring on to Reid’s finger shaking slightly in his unbelievable joy. Once it was all the way on he looked up at Reid wanting to kiss him so badly.
“Now Reid, Place the ring on Luke’s finger and repeat after me…”
Reid’s hands were also shaking. But not from nervousness. From excitement. He never could have imagined this life for himself. Never could have dreamed that he could be this happy. But he was and it was all because of Luke. Everything he had done in his life had led him to this, to Luke and he was never letting go. “In giving you this ring I marry you and join my life with yours.”
“With the promises they have made to one another, and by the power of their love, Luke and Reid have been joined in a spiritual union. They are now partners sharing one life from this day forward. An ancient belief proclaims that when a couple in love kisses, a little bit of each other's soul is transported to abide in the other. At what better time than now to share your souls and a kiss.”
Luke and Reid lovingly gazed at each other in anticipation. Reid leaned in and placed the most gentlest of kisses on Luke’s smiling lips as their friends and family cheered in the back ground. But neither really heard a thing. All they could hear was the beating of each other’s heart. All they could see was each other. Reid was now complete. With one small kiss a lifelong need had been filled. Luke was his. And he was Luke’s. At last. At long, long last.
Epilogue