116 Honorable much?
Word Soap: As The World Keeps Turning
Author: SYLnl
Title: #116 Honorable much?
Rating: PG
Summary: “Honor has not to be won; it must only not be lost.” - Arthur Schopenhauer
Big Thanks To: ltklo, for brushing up my grammar
Previously on As The World Keeps Turning: click here for chapters 1 - 115
“Well, well…Luke. Long time no see.”
‘And that was just fine by me,’ Luke thought. “Professor Jarvis…” Luke said.
“Come now, not so formal,” Mason Jarvis gave a fake smile, “You’re not still holding a grudge now, are you?”
Luke raised an eyebrow, matching Mason’s arrogant demeanor.
“That would be a major waste of my time and energy,” he calmly replied and saw the effect of his words in the man’s eyes. Something flashed.
“Heard of Noah lately?”
“Nope. We broke off all contact.”
“We?” Mason snorted. “Don’t you mean he?”
“I would have said ‘he’ if that’s what I meant. But actually the initiative was mine.”
“Yeah, right. You clung to Noah like a leech and now you want me to believe you’re the one cutting him loose?”
“I don’t care what you believe,” Luke was glad his voice sounded so neutral. He didn’t want Mason to know the leech remark had hit home. “But yes, that’s what happened.”
Without conscious intent Luke touched his ring for a moment and Mason frowned when he saw it.
“Found someone new? Really?”
“Really.”
“Do I know him?”
“I don’t think so. He’s a world famous neurosurgeon. Not really your vineyard, right?”
“I see. So I’m guessing: older guy.”
“Yep. About your age, I think…”
Ouch. Luke’s Grimaldi genes were laughing their little heads off.
“And apparently that’s working for you.”
“Very. It’s a relief to be in a healthy, respectful and secure relationship for a change.”
“Remarkable,” Mason was back to the arrogance, “I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Luke just shrugged and tried to will his order to be ready, but nobody came to his rescue and Mason Jarvis wasn’t done yet.
“Did Noah ever come clean about us?”
It made Luke look up and Mason’s victorious grin made him careful. He managed his “I guess not, because I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about” to sound as indifferent as possible.
“Didn’t he tell you we’d been seeing each other after his accident?” Mason watched him like a hawk, “Although considering the circumstances ‘seeing each other’ might be a poor choice of words.”
Luke couldn’t help himself. He had to know. He had to bite.
“No, he never told me. Are you insinuating you two had sex?”
Luke’s direct question threw Mason for a moment, then he grinned.
“Yep, that’s what I’m saying. Although in all fairness…Noah didn’t go there until he officially broke things off with you.”
“How honorable,” Luke sneered and Mason laughed.
“Yeah, very. I thought it was endearing.”
“I’m sure you did,” Luke calmly stated, successfully hiding his outrage. “I’m surprised you didn’t join him in LA, then.”
“Oh, I did visit him recently. Noah is so easy going. Just picking up where we left off.”
“Good for you,” Luke lied, but grinned when he saw another familiar face entering Al’s. “Since you and Noah hooked up after his accident, I suppose you know Richard too…”
Obviously the name didn’t ring any bells and after Luke greeted the mentioned, he introduced him to Mason.
“Richard was a good friend to Noah during the whole blindness and surgery thing…”
The young man next to him made a snorting sound.
“Sorry Luke, but I was more than just a good friend,” Richard rectified, just as Luke had hoped and he couldn’t help but smile at Mason’s confusion.
“I just came back from LA, to be honest,” Richard unknowingly added some more fuel to the flames. “He’s involved in some promising projects, so he was very…excited.”
The way Richard chuckled didn’t needed further explanation and the Grimaldi gene pool was ecstatic now. Luke almost laughed out loud, looking at Mason’s facial expression. Anger. Disgust. Jealousy. Luke could help himself. He enjoyed every minute of it.
In the corner of his eye he saw his order coming and after a warm smile at the waitress, he looked at Mason with a telling grin.
“Very honorable, right? Maybe you guys should compare notes.”
Without looking back Luke left Al’s. With a piece of his memories shattered, but his heart without a dent.
When Luke parked his car, the front door opened and his heart missed a beat, looking at his welcoming committee.
“Daddy!” Danny, sitting on Reid’s arm, was clapping his hands and the young doctor gave him his trademark intense, telling, burning look. He didn’t even glance at the chili. All his attention was on Luke. With a content sigh they shared a kiss and a wordless conversation.
‘I’m so glad you’re back. I’ve missed you.’
‘It’s so good to be back. I’ve missed you too.’
Reid softly pulled Luke’s hair, while Luke kissed Danny on the cheek.
“Hee guys, good to see you again.” He held up the bag, “Hungry anyone?”
“Starving,” Reid whispered, but he still wasn’t looking at the food and Luke softly slapped his cheek. Later.
The kitchen table was already set and when Reid started to unpack the bag, he finally returned to his normal behavior.
“This smells very good.”
“It took the cook long enough to prepare, so I’m pretty sure it will taste good too.”
After filling their plates there was still a load of food in the bag and Reid shook his head.
“I think I have a fan in Al’s kitchen.”
“I know you have a fan in Al’s kitchen,” Luke grinned and Reid’s response was a humorous mix of arrogance, happiness and bewilderment.
“Did you have a good day?”
Luke nodded. “The meeting went great. I’ll tell you more later…” the brown eyes looked at Danny for a second, “but I ran into some bad past at Al’s.”
It made Reid frown and Luke continued: “Did I ever mention Professor Mason Jarvis to you?”
Reid rolled his eyes. “Me and names. P-lease.”
“He was Noah’s faculty adviser. He was helping him with movies and stuff.”
Reid shrugged. Didn’t ring any bells.
“Anyway,” Luke looked at Danny again, “His interest in Noah wasn’t purely professional. Short version: he kissed Noah, I told Damian, Damian told the school. Mason was dismissed, Noah was mad at me, we had an argument about it while he was preparing fireworks and…”
Reid made an exploding sound that made Danny look up, but the whole conversation obviously went over the boy’s head, because he concentrated on his plate again.
“Exactly.”
“So in a very strange, tangled up kind of way, this guy is responsible for getting me to Oakhell.”
Luke almost choked on this food. “In a very strange, tangled up way I guess you’re right.”
“But I don’t need to go to Al’s to thank him.”
“Nope,” Luke answered Reid’s tease with a small grin. “No need.”
“Bad professor.”
“Very bad professor,” Luke shook his head, “Couldn’t wait to tell me he hooked up with Noah after the accident.”
“Ah…” Reid chewed his food, “Naughty professor.” Then he realized something and frowned.
“Hold on…”
“No, Noah did have the decency to wait until we broke it off.”
“Still…” this time the shaking head was Reid’s. “Hurtful?”
“Somewhat,” Luke admitted. “Mostly because he didn’t tell me.”
“Him being all offended and hurt after watching us kiss…he’s something else.”
Luke didn’t answer, but just shrugged. The N-road was officially closed for any traffic. He watched Reid and Danny enjoying their dinner and smiled. When the blue eyes pierced into his, Luke instinctively licked his lips and he could hear Jennifer Rush sing in his head. Predicting his immediate future.
I hold on to your body and feel each move you make
Your voice is warm and tender
A love I could not forsake
Lost is how I'm feeling lying in your arms
When the world outside's too much to take
That all ends when I'm with you
Even though there may be times it seems I'm far away
Never walk away like that, because I am always by your side