61 Replay
Word Soap: As The World Keeps Turning
Author: SYLnl
Title: #61 Replay
Rating: PG
Summary: Luke and Reid have themselves a Statler and Waldorf moment
Big Thanks To: ltklo, for brushing up my grammar
Previously on As The World Keeps Turning:
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20
#21 #22 #23 #24 #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 #34 #35 #36 #37 #38 #39 #40 #41 #42 #43 #44 #45 #46 #47 #48 #49 #50 #51 #52 #53 #54 #55 #56 #57 #58 #59 #60
With a deep sigh Reid dropped himself on the couch. He was completely drained. He had vaguely noticed that Luke had pulled off his coat and had led him to the couch. He could feel Luke’s hand through his hair and the soft kiss on his forehead.
“Would you like a beer?”
Ah. Yes. Beer. He nodded, with his eyes closed, missing Luke’s smile in the process. Luke was enjoying himself. He was doing what he loved to do: taking care of Reid. So he handed him the cold beer and walked over to the bedroom to change his own outfit and to bring back their huge comforter and lounge trousers and shirt for Reid.
When Luke removed Reid’s necktie and started to unbutton the shirt, Reid opened his eyes and frowned.
“I’m not sure…”
“Sttt,” Luke placed a finger on Reid’s lips, “just a change of clothes. Don’t worry. I’m not collecting the four you’ve been throwing in my face all night. Not right now, anyway.”
Reid smiled and Luke went back to work. Luke loved every aspect of this relationship and the equality between them meant the world to him. But this opportunity to take care of Reid was very precious to him. Especially because Reid surrendered completely. So Luke removed the shirt and helped Reid into the soft and warm sweater.
“Hmmmm…” Reid didn’t stop at surrendering. He was enjoying this. The doctor watched Luke through his lashes. It was quite a sight to see Luke at work. So lovingly. So focused.
“You would be a great nurse,” Reid whispered and Luke smiled at him.
“Maybe. But would you like me doing this to other men?”
“Good point. No. No sharing.”
Luke’s finger touched Reid’s nose. “Exactly.” With a swift pull Luke removed Reid’s pants and with a little cooperation put on the lounge trousers.
“There.” Luke kissed Reid’s forehead again.
“Much better,” Reid agreed, stretching a little. Then Luke threw the comforter over Reid, lifted one side and crawled in.
“Move over, Hot Shot, I’m cold.”
No telling how long they lay like that. Without a word. Even without any movement, Luke’s little thumb-gliding-over-Reid’s-hand-thingie excluded.
Slowly Reid’s energy level started to rise again and Luke could feel the change. Reid’s fingers caressed his hands.
“Hey you…” Luke pressed his back to Reid some more.
“Hey Nurse Snyder,” Reid whispered, pulling him close. “Thanks for taking care of me.”
“You’re welcome,” Luke whispered back, turning around so he could see Reid’s eyes.
“I guess all that socializing and charming stuff really sucked the energy out of me,” Reid closed his eyes again. “Man, I’m tired. Even several hours in surgery isn’t as exhausting as this.”
“Any clue why?”
Reid chuckled. “Probably because this isn’t something I like to do. I know it’s part of the job and that’s why I did it. And that’s also why I gave it my all. If I commit to something,” Reid’s thumb touched Luke’s lips for a moment, “or someone, I take that very seriously. But this whole opening event… there were some fun elements, don’t get me wrong… but all that interacting… it doesn’t come natural to me. I guess that’s why I feel so worn out.”
“As you know I finally figured out a while ago that I love every part of you and that you don’t need to change anything,” Luke started, smiled when Reid softly murmured “That was a good day”, and continued: “But watching this part of you was quite a surprise. I honestly didn’t know you could be this…”
Luke hesitated. The last thing he wanted to do was insult his guy.
“Just be honest,” Reid whispered.
Luke smiled at him. “Entertaining. You handled yourself like a professional TV show host and it blew me away…”
“Me too, to be honest. I was just winging it, so to speak.” Reid grinned. “As I told you before, I was a trained seal when I was a kid. I knew exactly what behavior was expected of me to please my parents. So yes, I can do charming and apparently I can also do entertaining, when I have to. That’s good to know, right?”
Luke didn’t join his chuckle, though.
“Please tell me you don’t do the trained seal thing to please me…”
Reid shook his head. “It’s nothing like that, it really isn’t. As you said, I know I don’t have to put on any show to be accepted by you, Luke. That’s what makes us so great. We can be who we really are.”
“Exactly. And don’t you forget that,” Luke gave him a firm kiss.
“Hmmm…I think my recharge is working on turbo speed tonight…” Reid’s eyes glowed.
“Good timing…I could use a cup of coffee…” Luke teased and then leaned over to Reid for another kind of stimulant.
They had to rearrange the furniture, but the end result was worth the effort. Lying close to each other on the couch, wrapped up in their comforter, they could watch the TV together. Although WOAK was still airing bits and pieces of the opening event, they didn’t tune in for that. The DVDs Kim had arranged for them had the rough taping on it and gave them the full scoop of the speech.
But this time Luke got the uncensored version with Reid’s comments behind him and he laughed so much, his jaw actually started to hurt. Like a modern day version of Statler and Waldorf - on a couch instead of a balcony - they enjoyed themselves with commenting on the footage.
And that was even before Reid started with the whole four thing. Luke enjoyed the soft chuckle behind his back, when Reid saw Luke rolling his eyes at his introduction of the four people.
“How uncomfortable were you?” he whispered.
“Right…now he feels sorry for me,” Luke teased.
“Didn’t say that. Just curious. How uncomfortable were you?”
Luke slapped him softly on the arm that was covering Luke’s abdomen.
“A little. I kept reminding myself it was our secret and nobody had a clue. That made it fun, eventually.”
Reid kissed him in the neck. “Good. I needed that boost to keep me lively. To keep my blood pumping, so to speak.”
Luke smiled. So that was what it was. As he watched Reid’s face on screen when the doctor placed himself behind his chair, Luke gasped.
“What?” Reid whispered in Luke’s hair.
“You! You look so…” Luke shook his head. How could you describe that?
“…in love.” Reid finished the sentence softly and Luke nodded. Exactly.
“And you’re surprised because…?”
Luke laughed. “It’s not surprise. It just touched me.”
Reid didn’t respond in words, but pulled Luke even closer than he already was. To hold his breath a few minutes later.
“So this is what they see…”
Luke put the DVD player on hold and turned to Reid.
“What do you mean? Who is they?”
“The rest of the world,” Reid explained. “Watch the way we look at each other...” Reid kept his eyes on the still screen. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we will get offers from Hollywood. We’re smoking hot!”
Luke turned back and laughed. He felt weird to admit it - who admits he looks hot…well, besides Reid? - but Reid was right. Their chemistry was irrefutable.
“Maybe next time we go out, we need to stay in close range of the fire extinguisher,” Luke joked and Reid pinched him softly.
“Good idea, Hottie.”
After a little nudge, Luke pushed the play button again and watched the after party.
“I’m glad this is on tape, because this whole part feels like a blur to me,” Reid admitted. “For instance…where did your mother disappear to? She was there after the opening. I remember her talking to me. But after that…”
“She went to see Damian,” Luke filled in the blanks.
“Ah, I see.” Reid pointed at the screen, “Look at your grandmother. She found her own audience.”
“She always does,” Luke smiled. “I’m pretty sure she’s wooing the Money Men she invited. And John just listens and smiles. He’s perfect for her.”
Reid’s attention was on something else already. “Could you please rewind a little?”
Luke did and watched the screen. What was it?
“Look over there in the corner. Dr. Kramer…”
Luke stopped the DVD again to get a better view. “And Lucy! Oh boy. Something’s definitely brewing there.”
“Hope not,” Reid sounded annoyed. “Don’t need the drama.”
“You can’t obstruct love,” Luke shrugged.
“You did,” Reid teased and Luke pushed his elbow into Reid’s ribs.
“I didn’t. I just delayed it… a little.” Luke laughed when he heard Reid’s chuckle and brought the DVD to life again.
He smiled when he watched Reid interact with his Uncle Seth. They looked like brothers, completely at ease with each other. Dan Snyder didn’t look that comfortable and the way his eyes strayed to Katie gave Luke a worried tingling.
“It was nice of Dan to show up,” Luke heard himself say.
“I don’t think he was there for me,” Reid caressed Luke’s hand.
“So you’re seeing what I’m seeing…” Luke whispered.
“Yep. And it’s getting even more interesting…look at Doogie’s face.”
They both laughed.
“Clueless Hughes isn’t happy.” Reid concluded calmly.
“Nope. And the way Katie ignores Chris consistently makes me wonder if he’s still in the race.”
“Hope not,” Reid mumbled, focusing on the screen. Not that there was much to watch, because Luke had the whole thing on pause again.
“I thought you’d mellowed down.”
“Maybe. On the guy. A little.” Reid pulled a face. “I would want her to have what we have, that’s all.”
“I know,” Luke turned towards Reid again, “but you do realize that what we have is pretty unique, right?”
“Maybe,” Reid gave him a radiant smile, “but maybe it has everything to do with waiting for a good match. I’m pretty sure a lot of people settle for less, because they think they can’t get or even deserve someone better.”
“You think I did that with Noah?”
“With who?” Reid teased, “No, I don’t. I wasn’t here when you two started, but knowing you it was all about love. I’m even willing to admit that I think Noah loved you too. And still does. But you both got distracted by all those dogmas about how a perfect relationship should be and you both turned it into a molding contest. You and Noah trying to make each other fit the picture.”
Luke nodded. “That sounds about right. I do realize I was still in that molding mode when we were starting…”
“Yes, you were.” Reid was not gonna sugarcoat it. “And you had me worried about that for a while. So happy days when you saw the light on that one.”
Luke chuckled. “Yeah, it was for me too. It felt like a world being lifted from my shoulders.”
“I’m glad,” Reid stretched his body with a soft moan, “Because molding is not my best event.”
“Hmmm,” Luke turned his back on the TV and nestled himself against Reid’s chest. “I can recall some serious molding that is evidence to the contrary,” he teased and enjoyed Reid’s chuckle.
“When you’re right, you’re right. So come on over here and mold my lips…”