"Our flight lands around five o'clock," Reid was saying into his cell phone.
Luke stood awkwardly beside him, leaning back on the kitchen counter with his arms folded protectively over his chest. He was trying not to frown but it wasn't working.
Reid suddenly laughed. "Oh god, I haven't been there in years," he said, running a hand through his hair. "But yeah, that sounds great. No, no, I'm sure Luke will love it." Finally Luke attempted to smile.
The conversation lasted a few minutes longer before Reid finally said goodbye and snapped the phone shut. Luke didn't want Reid to comprehend just how nervous he was about this trip, so he sat up quickly and smiled.
Reid was still smiling from his conversation and didn't seem to notice that anything was off.
"We should probably get going if we want to get to the airport early," he said simply, putting a hand on Luke's shoulder. Reid leaned close, kissing him chastely on the corner of the mouth before stepping around him and toward the living room.
Luke spun around, arms still crossed, and slowly followed.
"I still don't see why we couldn't have taken the jet," he frowned. Reid didn't stop moving; he was collecting up his watch and double checking to make sure that he hadn't left anything laying about Katie's clean apartment.
"There's no reason to use your fancy jet," replied Reid, still moving about the room.
"You just didn't want your brother to see you rolling into town on some rich boy's plane," Luke said, a bit bitterly.
Reid finally stopped and looked up. He sighed, frowning unappreciatively at the blond.
"You know that's not true, Luke."
"Oh, it's not? Because I'm pretty sure that's exactly what it is. You weren't even sure if I should go with you in the first place, and now you can't even let me help you to get there faster and on your own time. I swear, it's like Dallas all over again," Luke groaned, stepping further into the room and gesturing with his hands.
"That's not fair," Reid said in a low voice, stepping around the couch and slowly approaching Luke, who was standing stiff and defensively. "Dallas was completely different and you know it. And this has nothing to do with you or your money, Luke. I've been looking forward to this trip for months, Joel and I came up with the idea long before anything started with us. I planned to fly commercial, and just because I'm now dating a guy with a private plane at his dispense doesn't mean I should change that."
Luke still didn't look convinced but he didn't argue either. Reid kept a safe distance from Luke, just watching as the blond crossed his arms again and frowned at the floor. It had been like this all week and Reid thought he was being pretty patient, which was saying something for a man who was never patient.
"I'm going to go get my bags and then we can head out," Reid said evenly, sighing and turning away from Luke.
Forty minutes later they were standing in line at the small Oakdale airport, waiting to go through security. It didn't take too long to get through and they strolled toward their gate, each carrying a bag over their shoulders, in silence. Their first flight was to Cleveland and then they would catch another plane that would take them the rest of the way to Boston. It was just past 11am when they came up to the gate so they take a seat, knowing their 12:05 flight won't be boarding for a little while longer. Luke pulls out a book and Reid pulls out a folder with some case files. They both take to their respective readings, shoulders leaning into one another but still not exchanging any words.
Just past 11:30 the announcement rings overhead that they are now boarding for flight 2329 to Cleveland and are welcoming all First Class passengers and those with small children to board. Luke and Reid before rise to their feet and fumble with their bags. Reid struggles to keep his mouth shut about at least letting them move up to first class, since originally he'd booked coach. They follow a family of four onto the plane and stop three rows in, fitting their bags into the overhead compartments before sliding into their seats. Luke sits by the window and takes to staring at the work crews loading the luggage onto the next plane over while Reid absently flips through a magazine. They order drinks and try to be patient while the rest of the small plane boards, and by 12:03 they are rolling down the runway.
Their layover in Cleveland was fairly uneventful. They nearly got ran over by a man running to catch his plane and they got to take the giant escalators that connect the main complex to D concourse. Luke finally spoke, smiling actually, to point out the massive 'paper airplanes' hanging above the escalators, but Reid didn't seem impressed, leaving Luke to frown in silence again. This time they boarded right away and at first fell into the same rhythm as their first flight - Luke stared out the window while Reid continued to Reid.
This flight was a bit longer, though not by much. About twenty minutes in, after the flight attendant had brought them more pretzels and drinks, Reid finally sighed and turned to Luke.
"You are allowed to talk you know."
Luke barely looked up. "Maybe I just have nothing to talk about."
Reid snorted. "Right, since when do you keep your opinions to yourself? I know you're still mad about earlier but you don't have to give me the silent treatment."
"I'm not giving you the silent treatment, Reid! I just don't have anything to say to you."
"Ah," said Reid, leaning his shoulder against the back of his seat and staring at Luke. "So you don't want to tell me how mad you are that we flew commercial, or how you think I'm embarrassed by your money or how much you really don't want to spend a weekend with my brother and my old friends?"
Luke met his eyes, turning red. Reid knew him too well. Still, he refused to answer.
"Thought so," frowned Reid, turning away.
"Wait," said Luke, reaching for Reid's hand. His fingers curled naturally around his partner's and his heart jumped pleasantly when the other man's fingers adjusted into place. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "I know I'm being childish. I'm just nervous, okay? I've barely even heard you talk about these people."
Reid sighed. "I know, but they aren't a big part of my life anymore, Luke. Like I was saying last night, I haven't seen Joel in almost six years, even since our parents' anniversary, and I haven't seen Adam or Liam and Kris since before that. Chances are this weekend will consist of reminiscing, the wedding, more reminiscing, and then it'll end the same way as it always does, with promises to keep in touch that we won't actually keep for another six years or so. But they're good people, I owe it to them to be there for this. Besides, Joel wants to meet you, they all do. It's going to be fine, Luke."
Reid squeezed Luke's hand, and the blond smiled - a little uncertainly, but it was a smile nonetheless. Reid watched him a moment longer as if making sure he wasn't about to fall apart or something, turning away only once he was satisfied that at least a part of his message had gotten through to Luke. He opened the medical journal in his lap and began reading again, though his right hand never let go of Luke's.
By the time they landed both men were in noticeably better moods. They pulled their bags down and were two of the first to exit the plane, bags slung over their shoulders and free hands linked together easily. They didn't notice the looks they got in the airport, nor would they have cared, strolling easily through the concourse and out of security.
It took Luke no more than five seconds to realize which group was their welcome party. There were four of them standing together just off to the left. All of them looked to be in their early to mid thirties, making Luke feel rather young. The first person he noticed with a dark haired man who he knew instantly was Joel. He had the same smile and curly hair as Reid. His hair was darker, his eyes were bigger and brown, and he was even taller than Luke, but there was still no mistaking the resemblance between them. There were two other men standing beside him, both handsome and athletically built, though only the one looked like he worked out regularly. The other was had his arm easily around the shoulders of a good looking woman with a smirk that reminded Luke of Maddie. Joel began to wave frantically, laughing loudly along with the others as Luke and Reid came closer.
Reid held onto Luke's hand until the last possible moment before letting go and hugging his brother. They were both smiling and exchanging hellos and how are yous, insisting that it had been too long. Reid then loved on to the other two men, shaking their hands and sharing a manly half-hug before wrapping his arms around the pretty brunette girl. Luke stood awkwardly, smiling with tense lips as he watched the reunion. Luckily Reid didn't linger with them too long before moving back to Luke's side, which cheered him up instantly.
"Luke, this is Joel, Adam, Liam and his fiancé Kris," said Reid, gesturing to the names' respective owners. Each of them smiled and said hello back.
Joel stepped forward and shook Luke's hand.
"It's good to finally meet you, Luke," he said brightly. "Heard a lot of good things," he added with a wink that made Reid groan a bit.
"Alright, alright. Are we going back to your place or what?" said Reid, taking Luke's hand again as everyone collected themselves. Joel just laughed, pulling out his keys and waving toward the doors with his arm.
"I figured I'd make you walk, make up for all the times you left me at school," Joel grinned.
Reid just laughed. "It's not my fault you were an immature little weasel in school," he said coolly.
Luke couldn't help but stare, their smiles were so similar.
"And it's not my fault I had such an ass for a brother," Joel teased back. Luke grinned at Reid, whether Reid saw him or not.