Thank you so much to For all the Favs and Followings. I already have several chapters of this prewritten. Just need to get them through final editing and uploaded.
Cont2
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The next several days, Luke spent very little time around the apartment. Usually grabbing a spot of coffee in the morning before rushing off with his guitar. Not returning until well after dark. Steve had filled Thor in on his new employment and the larger Asgardian just beamed proudly.
"See," He had replied. "My brother was correct. He always lands on his feet."
"You really need to stop calling him that," Was Steve's only reply. "I thought you had been practicing?"
Thor just shrugged in response. Old habits were the toughest to break it seemed.
On Friday however, Darcy was to come over and say goodbye before heading back to school. They all made sure to have the day off and was lounging around the apartment when she arrived.
"Darcy," Steve greeted warmly. "It's so good to see you."
"You didn't think I'd leave without saying goodbye," She returned coming in to plop down on a bar stool while the 'boys' fetched her a drink.
"We should be so lucky," Luke teased, giving her a welcome hug before sitting down beside her.
They quickly fell into old banter as they caught up on each others lives. Laughing and joking just like they used to at the diner. Steve thought absently about how much he'd missed this.
"So Luke," Darcy started, turning to face the taller man. "What are you doing these days to keep yourself busy? I know you're not just sitting around this joint. You'd of died of boredom already."
"Oh," Steve supplied. "He joined a band."
"Did you now," She returned a bit skeptically.
"Technically, they joined me," Luke replied. "But yes I'll be playing down at the Masquerade next week."
"Do you have a cool band name," She continued far too gleefully. "Oooh, is it something dark. Like The British Bashers or, or The Vampires of London."
"Thankfully…...no," Luke replied flatly. "But I'll make sure the owner takes your suggestions under consideration. He did however insist on me using a stage name."
"Oooh ooh,what is it," She asked excitedly. "Tell me, tell me."
"If you must know," Luke replied with a hint of boredom. "It's Lucky. Lucky Aces."
Thor nearly choked on his drink. "Lucky?"
"A bit ridiculous, I agree," Luke replied absently. "But he is the man who pays my bills, so who was I to argue."
"Lucky," Steve repeated, also taken aback. "He's calling you ….Lucky?"
"Oh yes," Luke continued. "The girls just adore it. "
"Girls?" Steve asked a bit more confused than ever.
"Oh yes, they're there every practice chanting 'Luck-y, Luck-y' I'm pretty sure the band members refer to them as 'groupies'. "
"I call em sluts," Darcy replied offhandedly, always blunt and unfiltered. "But I suppose groupie is more P.C. . You didn't fill them in about you being gay, did you?"
Thor and Steve just watched the conversation with some disbelief. It was impossible for Luke to not have this new name trigger any sort of memory, but he seemed completely oblivious.
"I didn't have to," Luke replied smoothly. "The other band members pointed it out the very first day."
"Gay-dar," Darcy filled in.
"Yes," Luke agreed. "That is what they called it. Whatever, why should I care."
Steve just chuckled at Luke's apparent naivety to society's stigmas, He always seemed immune or perhaps he didn't even notice the off handed stares he and Thor got when displaying affection in public. Either that, or he really just didn't care. Rogers liked to believe the latter.
"Oh God, though," Darcy was now completely enthralled in the story. "That must've been popularity suicide for you though. Probably turned those bitches right off."
"To the contrary," Luke corrected. "It seemed to have the exact opposite effect. Now they seem to like me even more. It's odd really."
"Some people just want what they can't have," Darcy then added slugging Thor on the arm. "Ain't that right big guy?"
"Um, yes," Thor snapped back into the conversation with a smile. "Crazy group of groupie…wenches."
They all laughed at his fumbling and soon the conversation turned back to Darcy and her future at school.
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Darcy left late that night and Thor busied himself watching something called 'Rugby' on tv. Erupting into yelling at the various players from time to time, no matter which side they were on. He had discovered this 'Rugby' earlier in the week while flipping through channels and shared with Steve that it reminded him of a sport they had back home.
Steve was in the kitchen, cleaning the dishes for the day and laughing at Thor's antics from time to time. Luke sat across from him at the bar, today's paper in hand. Steve suddenly noticed that he wasn't really reading it though. Rather, just staring almost in boredom at the open page. That look of non-emotion Steve had noticed after the roof-top incident, painting his face.
"Penny for your thoughts," Steve offered, shaking the other man out of his reverie.
"I'm afraid you'd get change tonight," Luke replied with a sigh and a small grin. "Not much going on up here." And he tapped his temple for emphasis.
Steve knew he was lying, but also knew he couldn't draw the other man into a conversation he didn't want to have. Luke would just have to open up when he was ready.
"So," Luke started suddenly. "You two are coming to see me play?"
"I'm sorry," Steve hadn't expected the question and wasn't quite sure he had heard it correctly.
"The show," Luke supplied. "It's next Friday."
Steve's blank look told him that he had no idea what he was referring to. Luke had come and gone so often without a word, that they hadn't even thought about there being a show coming up.
"The tickets," Luke urged, pointing to the refrigerator where two red and black tickets sat held on by a magnet resembling a miniature cup cake. "I left them there the other day. Surely you've noticed them?"
Steve rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment as he took in the tickets. "Heh, honestly, we haven't. But yeah, we'll be there. Of course. Wouldn't miss it for the world."
"I'm sure," Luke replied rolling his eyes and returning back to his paper. "Don't get your hopes up. It's just a little show…oh, but I'd bring earplugs."
"Come on Luke, we've heard you play," Steve chided. "It's not that bad. Not bad at all actually."
"Oh," And Luke added a far too wide toothy grin as he explained. "It's not for the music."
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If by little show, Luke had meant that there would be a few hundred people, mostly female, than he'd have been correct. News spread fast in this city and the crowd was eager to gobble up the new band and have bragging rights to say they were the first. As soon as Steve and Thor entered they were barraged by the sound of high pitched screaming from the mostly female crowd. Grimacing, they duly put in the earplugs that Luke had suggested. The plugs only partially helping to dampen the sound.
Traffic had been terrible and when they had finally arrived by cab, Luke and his band where already on stage and just finishing up a song. Thor and Steve found a spot back by the bar in the standing room only venue. It was a smallish building, obviously it used to be used as a theater back in the day as it had several levels and stylish balconies. All now swelling to capacity with eager fans.
The band finished playing and the crowd impossibly got even louder. They could see Luke front and center on the stage, dressed in far too tight black jeans and a slate gray vest like shirt hidden behind his ample guitar. His short dark curls where already damp with sweat, but he just grinned toothily at the crowds antics. As he paused to take a drink from the glass sitting on a stool beside him on stage, the crowd began chanting, urging him on.
"Luck-y! Luck-y!" They chanted excitedly.
Thor and Steve just stared wide eyed at each other in disbelief. No wonder Luke enjoyed this so much. It was far too similar to what he was after in his previous life. Hundreds of humans chanting his name, worshiping him.
"Let's hope it doesn't go to his head," Steve yelled at Thor who just crossed his arms and nodded grimly in response.
Luke merely chuckled at the crowds antics before raising his hands and urging the crowd into some semblance of silence so they could begin the next song. As soon as they started, the crowd started once again screaming in renewed fervor, causing Steve to cringe back from the cacophony.
"He's really something else," a short red head voiced to them as she retrieved a drink from the bar and escaped back into the crowd.
Steve just nodded absently, far too late realizing that that had been Natasha. He peered into the crowd, hoping to catch sight of her, but she was already gone.
After a couple hours of playing non stop, they had finally wrapped up the last song, but the crowd was still demanding more.
Luke once again ushered for silence. "Ladies…Ladies, please."
The girls just screamed in renewed vigor at being addressed. Steve just rolled his eyes at Thor. They had watched the show and if one thing could be said, Luke was definitely a showman and knew how to lead a crowd. A crowd that was once again chanting his name, well his stage name anyway.
Luke just chuckled at enthusiasm. "I am sorry, but this could never work out."
The crowd just ignored him and screamed on. As Thor and Steve watched on, they could tell he was obviously playing with them and seemed as though he'd played this game before. Most likely he'd had plenty of practice with the 'groupies'.
Finally, Luke brought a finger up to his lips and the crowd slowly silenced as directed. His friends were a little more than awestruck at the power he wielded over the throng.
"As you can see ladies," and Luke held out one hand straight towards Thor, at the same moment a giant spotlight illuminated the bronze God. "You have some pretty stiff competition."
He motioned for Thor to come forward as the crowd went absolutely crazy around him as he made his way to the stage. Thor was used to being in the spotlight back on Asguard and seemed to just puff up boastfully at the attention. Steve leaned back against the bar and laughed openly. Luke had been right, being gay just made him that much more desirable to the ladies.
Thor leapt onto the stage with ease and just strutted back and forth with fists raised high, egging on the crowd. Being that he was a showman himself, he finally stopped and, grabbing Luke suddenly, pulled him backwards into a deep, passionate kiss that even took Luke by surprise.
Steve had to put his hands over the earplugs at the chaos and screams caused by such an action. He turned towards the bar and buried his head in his hands, trying to dampen the ringing in his eardrums. Dear God, some of these women won't be able to talk for at least a week. Finally the sound started to die down and when he turned back around the band had left the stage.
Thor was suddenly bouncing back to his side, grinning widely, obviously pleased with his actions.
"Are you ready," He yelled as the crowd was still rumbling quite loudly as they exited. Every now and then, some random person would pat Thor's arm as they went. "Luke said we should meet him out back."
Steve just nodded and followed Thor to a side exit, where a security guard was waiting to open it for them. The cool night air hit them immediately and they hadn't realized how warm it had been in the club until they could feel the sweat upon them cooling and drying.
"RRRRRAAAAHHHH," Thor roared, pounding his fists to the sky with delight. "That was GREAT! That was Amazing! That was.."
"A bit disturbing." Steve supplied.
"Nonsense," Thor retorted, pacing back and force with renewed energy. "Why do you say such things?"
"Didn't you see the crowd chanting?" Steve retorted in disbelief.
"I did not see anything wrong with their adoration," Thor now paused to take in Steve fully. "Luke was great! He played the crowd like…like a prince."
"And that's my problem," Steve supplied. "Don't you think this is just a little too much like his old life? Don't you think it will cause him to remember? He did want to take over the world you know. You do remember that, don't you?"
"Nonsense, Steve Rogers," Thor spat back, going back to pacing while they waited for Luke outside the venue. "You are just being paranoid. Luke knows just where his heart lies," and he thumped his chest with one fist in emphasis.
"Yes, well," Steve mumbled still not quite convinced this was wholly a good idea. "Don't you two ever break up, or it'll be Stuttgart all over."
"You worry like an old chamber maid at times Rogers," Thor admonished with a chuckle. "Luke and I have a bond that will never be broken. Surely the fact that he and I are still together, despite my father and the universe trying to tear us apart, why that must account for something!"
"If you say so," Steve was still not convinced.
"I do say," Thor repeated back firmly. "And that makes it so."
They were interrupted from any further conversation as the door behind them opened and the band came pouring out. Each giving their thanks for a great show and saying their goodbyes. Luke was the last to exit, shaking hands and patting his band mates as he exited. Thor immediately stepped forward and plucking his guitar case from his hand, wrapped one massive arm about his shoulders to pull him close.
"That was amazing," He crowed as Luke just grinned at his antics. "When is the next one?"
"Calm down Thor, we don't play again for a few weeks, thank the Gods" Luke chided wearily. "And do you mind, I am soaked in sweat?" He tried to free himself from the beefy man's grasp, but was just held tighter.
"I do not mind," Thor answered simply as he held him tighter whilst leading him along the sidewalk towards the street where they could catch a cab home. "And why do you sound like you are happy to not play again so soon."
"Because it is so exhausting," Luke answered simply. Luke always answered questions a lot easier when he was tired. "Both mentally and physically. The crowd just drains the energy right out of me. I honestly do not see how one could do this one a more regular basis. I for one am looking forward to some uneventful and hopefully boring time off."
Steve just chuckled at his response. Seems he was worrying needlessly like an old chamber maid after all. He had been concerned that the chanting and stage name should trigger some memory of Luke's past, but thankfully, that did not seem to be the case. After meeting Luke, Rogers had done some reading on amnesia cases in an effort to understand his new friend a little better. In all the cases, the longer the subject went without remembering, the less likely it was to ever happen. The brain slowly built new pathways and seemingly just deleted the old ones, never to have them return. How long had it been now? Could it be that perhaps too much time had simply passed for Luke to ever remember who he was before? Steve allowed a small glimmer of hope to blossom in his mind at that thought. He sure would like to think so.
They caught a cab easily and Luke just rested his head on Thor in a light slumber the entire way home. He looked truly exhausted, but not stressed. It was the weariness from a job well done and Steve couldn't help but smile at the way Thor beamed proudly over him. Yes, as long as those two were together, then surely there was nothing to worry about. Surely.
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