Although they knew full well that Luke had only planned on staying in Dallas for the week as planned when he had come down with Noah, neither Luke nor Reid had addressed the issue as to what would happen when that week had ended. As a result, the rest of the week went by rather quickly, too quickly for the likings of either Luke or Reid. Despite spending all their time together, whether it was at the hospital, Reid's apartment, or generally around Dallas, the two men felt that the week had not been long enough to make up for the three years that they had been apart.
And, so, when the night before Luke was set to return to Oakdale came around, there was a large, dark cloud looming over the couple as they sat on Reid's couch, Luke curled up, his head resting on Reid's shoulder with Reid's arm around Luke. They were watching the Houston Astros game – they were losing, of course – and both men were very quiet. When, finally, Luke could stand the silence no longer, he said, "I'm supposed to go home tomorrow."
"I know," Reid said quietly. There was sadness in his voice and he instinctively held Luke a little tighter.
Luke unfolded his legs, swung them over the side of the couch, and looked at Reid. "Don't you want me to stay?"
"Of course I do," Reid said, more angrily than he had intended. Luke frowned. He was
not going to be the one to suggest he move in. That had to be Reid.
"So?"
"So what?" Reid said, still watching the game.
"How do you plan on getting me to not get on that plane in the morning?"
"I thought I'd blackmail and kidnap you," Reid said, trying very hard not to smile.
Luke snorted. "Seriously, Reid. What are you going to do to get me to stay?"
Reid looked at Luke. "What do you want me to say?"
"I want you to give me a reason to stay in Dallas. I spent too many years sticking around with Noah because it's what I wanted. I need to know that you want me around," Luke said.
"You know I do," Reid said. He kissed Luke.
"Well then?"
Reid stared at Luke, his fingers entwined in the younger man's hair. "Move in with me." He had not a revelation or epiphany before he said it; it was simply the natural thing to do.
Luke smiled. "Of course, you idiot," and Luke kissed him.
"What about Oakdale?"
"Eh. It's time I got out of that dump anyway," Luke said, the ends of his mouth twitching.
"What will your parents say?" Reid asked, though he hardly cared.
"Let's find out," Luke said, pulling out his cell phone, dialing his home number, and putting it on speakerphone.
"Hi, Luke," came a woman's voice on the other end.
"Hi, Mom," Luke said.
"Getting ready to come home tomorrow?" Luke and Reid exchanged looks.
"Not exactly."
"What do you mean? Does Noah need to stay longer than he thought?"
"I wouldn't know," Luke said tentatively while suppressing a laugh.
"Huh?" his mother asked, confused.
"I'm not with Noah. I haven't been with him all week," Luke said in a rush.
"What do you mean you haven't been with Noah? Didn't you go down to Dallas with him?"
"I did," Luke said cautiously. "But I broke up with him the next day."
"You did what?" Lily said loudly. "Why?"
"Because I'm not in love with him anymore. I haven't been in love with him for three years. I really came down here to find Reid." Luke grimaced in anticipation of his mother's response.
"Dr. Oliver?" Lily said, not bothering to hide the disgust in her voice. Reid seemed unfazed.
Luke furrowed his brows. "Yes, Mom. I broke up with Noah for Dr. Oliver. And I'm not changing my mind."
"But what about Noah?" Lily said, sounding close to tears.
"He'll be fine," Luke said bluntly.
"But he's the love of your life," Lily whined.
"No he's not," Luke said, angry now. "Reid is. I knew that when I chose Noah three years ago and I know it now. And I'm staying down here with Reid." He said the last part quickly.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm moving in with Reid." Luke scrunched up his face in a way that made Reid grin like a fool.
"That's an adorable face," Reid whispered into Luke's ear. Luke silently chuckled.
"Holden!" Lily shouted on the other end of the phone. Luke's mouth formed an O.
"What, Lily?" Luke heard his father say.
"Luke is on the phone. He says he left Noah and he's moving in with Dr. Oliver."
"Luke?" Holden said.
"Hi, Dad."
"Is that true?"
"Yep," Luke said.
"Is this what you want?"
"Yep."
There was a short silence. Then Holden said, "Would you like us to get Lucinda to send you your stuff?" Lily gasped quite audibly.
Luke grinned. The battle had been won. "That would be wonderful. If you could get it out of the apartment before Noah gets back tomorrow that would be best. He knows I'm with Reid, but still…" Luke trailed off.
"I'll call Lucinda right now. She'll be happy. She's always like Reid." Luke smiled at his boyfriend.
"Mom?" Luke said quietly.
"Well, I guess if this is what you want, then I have to be happy for you," Lily said grudgingly. "But you really hurt Noah."
"Mom, Noah will get over it. He probably already has," Luke said gently. He never could quite understand his mother's insistence on him being with Noah.
"I expect to hear from you three times a day," Lily said, now motherly and sad. "I'm not sure I can handle you being so far away from me."
"I promise we'll talk. And if you need me, I'm only a plane ride away."
"Yeah."
"Thanks, Mom," Luke said. "I love you."
"I love you, too, baby," Lily said before hanging up.
Luke burst into laughter. "That wasn't so bad."
"You're mom doesn't like me very much, does she?" Reid said, relaxing back onto the couch, his arm around Luke again.
"No, she does. It's just…you're not Noah. She's always been intent on having me with Noah. I think she's in love him," Luke said, chuckling slightly.
"That's…interesting," Reid said, turning off the TV once the Astros had made their last out.
"It'd make for some awkward family gatherings," Luke said. Reid smiled slightly.
"Don't you have things at the hotel?" Reid asked.
"Yeah, I do. But I'll get them tomorrow while you're at the hospital," Luke said, snuggling closer to Reid.
Just then Reid's computer dinged. Reid groaned but got up and turned it on anyway. It was Katie on Skype.
"Reid! Luke!"
"Hi, Katie," Luke said, amused.
"I saw Holden. He told me the good news."
"I'm not even in Oakhell anymore and everyone still knows my personal business," Reid said, walking over to the fridge.
"Didn't I tell you he'd come back to you?" Katie said.
"You said no such thing because I wouldn't be caught dead talking about my feelings," Reid said, making himself one of his sandwiches.
Luke chuckled and shook his head in exasperation.
"Oh. Right. Sorry," Katie said, smiling. "Well, anyway, I'm very happy for you two."
"Thanks, Katie," Luke said, because Reid's mouth was stuffed with food. "Tell Jacob we say 'hi'."
"I will," Katie said and she signed off.
"So you were talking to Katie about your feelings?" Luke said, smirking.
Reid shook his head vehemently.
"You shouldn't deny it, Reid," Luke said, seductively sauntering over to the table.
"Why?" Reid said, having finished his sandwich.
"It's kinda sexy," Luke said, grabbing Reid's hand and pulling him out of the chair.
"What is?"
"Talking about emotions," Luke said.
"Really?" Reid said skeptically.
"Yeah. It's a real turn-on," Luke said, inching closer, still holding Reid's hand.
"In that case…you should know that I'm really…glad you decided to move in…with me," Reid stuttered, breathing heavily as Luke's face was barely an inch from his own.
Luke smiled and kissed Reid like there was no tomorrow.