"Triangle" - Chapter 10 - Part 1
This is an AU where Luke, Reid, and Noah are all about the same age and all live in New York City. Luke has no kidney problems in this fic - he drinks quite happily. Noah is not really the Noah of canon - he is how I wish he had been written. And thus, this story is my version of a true 'triangle.' Hope if you read it you enjoy it!
Luke/Reid, Reid/Noah (you've been warned BBs)
Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6 / Chapter 7 / Chapter 8 / Chapter 9
"Luke? What are you doing here?
Luke sighed and came up out of the stairwell. He looked a bit rough. Reid couldn't tell if it was just the after effects of all the alcohol or if there was more to the story.
"I needed to see you, Reid." Luke's tone was pleading. "I'm really, really sorry about tonight. I shouldn't have made you hang out with those assholes."
"You heard about that, huh?"
"Yeah, Casey filled me in. Riley's a fucking prick!"
"Um, yeah, pretty much!"
"If it makes you feel any better, I really let him have it."
"You did?"
"Yeah, I didn't actually punch him but other than that..."
"Sounds promising!" Reid smiled slightly.
Luke shook his head. "I think Riley made up his mind that he didn't like you after you didn't go for him pawing you up that first night."
"Nah, I think he's actually just jonesing on you and doesn't like the competition."
Luke made a face. "Well, whatever his problem is, he's not going to be included in any more outings if I have a say in it!" Luke paused, then stepped a little closer. "But, still, why'd you leave so fast tonight?"
Reid looked at him narrowly. "Well, you partying your ass off wasn't exactly helping the situation."
Luke looked a little guilty. "Sorry about that. I just, well, part of it was habit, I admit, and part of it was nerves. I just really wanted you to like me, to have a good time with my friends."
"I do like you. But you don't have to try so hard. Same goes for a lot of your 'friends' actually."
"Great, so you really hate all my friends!" Luke sounded aggrieved. "The truth's out!"
Reid smiled and shook his head. "I don't dislike all your friends. Casey's a good guy."
"Yeah, Casey is a great guy," Luke said thoughtfully. He leaned back against the stairwell railing and looked off into the darkness. "Case is the guy I've been friends with the longest. He was really good to me when my parents were splitting up and dragging me through all their shit."
Reid looked sympathetic.
"He would show up at my place and make me go out, even if it was just to get coffee. We don't always party," he winked at Reid. "He's loyal and underneath it all he actually cares. His family has its own issues, too, but he doesn't make a big deal about it. Except when his sister OD'd."
"What?" Reid looked shocked.
"Yeah, I saw him a lot through all of that. He was a hot mess for a long time."
Reid looked at the other man. "Luke, you really need to start hanging out with a better crowd. Casey, too."
Luke reached out and took Reid's hand in his, playing a little with his fingers. "Well, I've been trying to, with you, but I can't say I'm really getting anywhere." His somewhat bereft expression and big brown eyes made Luke suddenly look a little younger, less jaded.
"You know, you're a sweet guy under all the attitude." Reid leaned over and kissed him. It was a tender kiss and not the kind that Luke usually let himself experience.
"That was nice," Luke smiled. He squeezed the other man's hand, then let go. "But Reid?"
"Yes?"
"We know what my issues are, but you've got some of your own," he said in a rather sing-songy voice.
Reid looked at him, his eyebrows raised a little.
Luke paused. "You keep everything so under wraps. If you had just told me you were having a hideous time I would have left with you. So let's just agree we won't let it get that bad on either end next time, OK?"
"OK." Reid smiled.
"So, where were you just now?" Luke was keeping his tone light.
"Oh, uh, you know, I got off the subway and just kept walking." Which was true, up to a point.
"Oh." Luke new it probably had something to do with the other guy in Reid's life. But he wasn't going to worry about that right now. He just wanted to make sure that he and Reid were still on good terms.
Reid looked at him. "So, you want to go out tomorrow? Try again? I have to work but we could get together after that. Just the two of us?"
"Sure." Luke put his hand up in the air as if he were pledging. "No friends, I promise!" he said animatedly and laughed.
Reid looked down at his watch. "Wow, I guess we could actually stop conversing out on the street in the middle of the night." He gestured down towards the door of his apartment. "Do you want to come in?"
Luke shook his head. "It's almost one-thirty in the morning, and unlike some of us spoiled rich kids I know you have to work, so I'll just see you here tomorrow?"
Reid looked a little relieved to hear it. "Yeah, how about 6:00."
"Sounds good."
Luke leaned and kissed Reid, lightly, then turned and started up the stairs.
"Hey, Luke?"
Luke stopped and looked down at Reid.
"Thanks for coming over here. It means a lot to me."
"No problem." Luke smiled and then was gone.
The next day Reid was working the latter half of his shift and helping to bus some dishes when he saw Noah behind the bar counter working. Reid couldn't deny that he had checked the schedule when he came in, to see when Noah was starting his shift. He found himself glancing over at the bar from 6:00 onwards to see if Noah was there, even though he was still angry with him. Noah looked over and Reid looked quickly away.
A few minutes later Reid was forced to go to the bar to get a drink order filled. He walked up and perfunctorily handed it to Noah.
"Need this when you have time," he said flatly.
"OK." Noah's voice was cool. "Be right up." He turned away and started pouring drinks.
Reid swallowed and walked grimly away. A few minutes later he saw that the order was ready and came back for it.
"So, is how it's going to be until your shift's up?" Noah had turned back towards Reid and was standing near the tray of drinks as Reid reached for it. He was looking very intently at Reid.
"Probably."
"Reid," Noah's voice sounded a little gentler, "we need to talk about this."
"Do we?"
Reid picked up the tray and walked off.
Reid's shift was almost up. Shelby, another server, came to find Reid in the back. "Some guy is out there waiting for you, Reid."
Reid had a slightly uneasy feeling.
"Some guy?"
"Luke I think he said?"
Reid finished what he was doing and walked hurriedly out into the front of the restaurant. The sight he most did not want to see was in front of his eyes. Luke sitting at the bar with a drink in front of him. Noah standing with his back to Luke, a little further down, behind the bar. Reid gritted his teeth and approached them.
"Hey!" he said lightly as he touched Luke on the shoulder.
Luke turned, a smile on his face. "Hey!" Out of the corner of his eye Reid could see that Noah had turned and was watching this exchange. Then he walked away.
Reid turned his full attention back to Luke. "What are you doing here?" Reid tried to sound a casual note. "I thought we were meeting at my place?"
"Well, I had plans with Casey actually pretty near here, and he ended up having to cut out early. So, I just figured I'd stop by and see if you were still here. Which you were!"
"Oh, OK, that's cool." Reid hoped he sounded like he meant it. He glanced over and saw that Noah had moved even further away, near the end of the bar, his back to them. Reid quickly looked back at Luke. "I'm outta here in about 15 minutes. Do you just wanna wait here?" Reid actually desperately wanted Luke to leave the bar, but there was no real way to suggest this without raising suspicion on his part. Reid's only aim now was to try and limit the damage.
"Sure, sure." Luke smiled. "I'll just nurse my drink here."
Reid glanced over again. Noah was gone.
"OK, see you in a few."
Reid hurried back to one of his tables, collected some plates and settled a tab. He finally went into the small office in the back to clock out and grab his things. He heard someone come into the room behind him. He looked over. It was Noah, but he wasn't looking at Reid and he wasn't saying anything. Noah opened the door to his locker, put something in it, then shut it hard.
Reid stared at him. "Noah?"
Noah turned towards him. Reid had pretty much only ever seen Noah being laid back and mellow. His expression now was still muted but his eyes were pure anger. Noah stepped much closer to Reid. "So," he said in a low voice, "you're mad at me and this is how you're going to get even? Are you actually still seeing that guy?" He jerked his head towards the front of the restaurant.
Reid looked at him fixedly. "Does it matter?"
"How can you say that?"
"Well, you've never asked, have you, Noah? Just assumed that I dropped him?"
"I don't know what I thought about it. I guess I was just too busy concentrating on us, on getting to know you," Noah said through gritted teeth.
Reid looked at him intensely. "Are you and I in a relationship?"
Noah paused. "I thought so. Or at least it was moving in that direction." His tone was icy.
"Even with all the women in your life and the sneaking around?"
"You know what?" Noah's voice fell to a harsh whisper. "I haven’t slept with a woman since…I haven’t slept with anyone but you in the past month!"
Reid was surprised by this information. He glanced out toward the kitchen for a moment to make sure no one was coming, then looked back up at Noah. Reid stepped closer. "Listen Noah," he said in a quiet but fierce voice, "tell me that this is for real and that it's out in the open, and I'm there. You got me? But otherwise, don't look down on me for trying to have some sort of back up plan." He sounded choked up and paused. "Luke's not actually a bad guy. Just over-privileged and a little insecure underneath it all. That's what kills me about you Noah. In so many ways you're not insecure, you're just wonderful! But the one way in which you are is such a fucking drag for me!"
Noah was just staring at him during this whole diatribe as if he'd never seen so many thoughts and feelings coming out of Reid's mouth in a matter of minutes.
"Reid, I..."
"Can you just tell me what you want with me, Noah?"
"It's just, my life, my folks," he paused, "my dad especially..." Noah looked bereft. "It's hard for me right now. I'm not sure what to say."
"Well how about this was a mistake and now we're both hurting each other." Reid sounded bitter.
"Screw you, Reid!" Noah said in a choked voice and walked out of the room.
Part 2
Luke/Reid, Reid/Noah (you've been warned BBs)
Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6 / Chapter 7 / Chapter 8 / Chapter 9
"Luke? What are you doing here?
Luke sighed and came up out of the stairwell. He looked a bit rough. Reid couldn't tell if it was just the after effects of all the alcohol or if there was more to the story.
"I needed to see you, Reid." Luke's tone was pleading. "I'm really, really sorry about tonight. I shouldn't have made you hang out with those assholes."
"You heard about that, huh?"
"Yeah, Casey filled me in. Riley's a fucking prick!"
"Um, yeah, pretty much!"
"If it makes you feel any better, I really let him have it."
"You did?"
"Yeah, I didn't actually punch him but other than that..."
"Sounds promising!" Reid smiled slightly.
Luke shook his head. "I think Riley made up his mind that he didn't like you after you didn't go for him pawing you up that first night."
"Nah, I think he's actually just jonesing on you and doesn't like the competition."
Luke made a face. "Well, whatever his problem is, he's not going to be included in any more outings if I have a say in it!" Luke paused, then stepped a little closer. "But, still, why'd you leave so fast tonight?"
Reid looked at him narrowly. "Well, you partying your ass off wasn't exactly helping the situation."
Luke looked a little guilty. "Sorry about that. I just, well, part of it was habit, I admit, and part of it was nerves. I just really wanted you to like me, to have a good time with my friends."
"I do like you. But you don't have to try so hard. Same goes for a lot of your 'friends' actually."
"Great, so you really hate all my friends!" Luke sounded aggrieved. "The truth's out!"
Reid smiled and shook his head. "I don't dislike all your friends. Casey's a good guy."
"Yeah, Casey is a great guy," Luke said thoughtfully. He leaned back against the stairwell railing and looked off into the darkness. "Case is the guy I've been friends with the longest. He was really good to me when my parents were splitting up and dragging me through all their shit."
Reid looked sympathetic.
"He would show up at my place and make me go out, even if it was just to get coffee. We don't always party," he winked at Reid. "He's loyal and underneath it all he actually cares. His family has its own issues, too, but he doesn't make a big deal about it. Except when his sister OD'd."
"What?" Reid looked shocked.
"Yeah, I saw him a lot through all of that. He was a hot mess for a long time."
Reid looked at the other man. "Luke, you really need to start hanging out with a better crowd. Casey, too."
Luke reached out and took Reid's hand in his, playing a little with his fingers. "Well, I've been trying to, with you, but I can't say I'm really getting anywhere." His somewhat bereft expression and big brown eyes made Luke suddenly look a little younger, less jaded.
"You know, you're a sweet guy under all the attitude." Reid leaned over and kissed him. It was a tender kiss and not the kind that Luke usually let himself experience.
"That was nice," Luke smiled. He squeezed the other man's hand, then let go. "But Reid?"
"Yes?"
"We know what my issues are, but you've got some of your own," he said in a rather sing-songy voice.
Reid looked at him, his eyebrows raised a little.
Luke paused. "You keep everything so under wraps. If you had just told me you were having a hideous time I would have left with you. So let's just agree we won't let it get that bad on either end next time, OK?"
"OK." Reid smiled.
"So, where were you just now?" Luke was keeping his tone light.
"Oh, uh, you know, I got off the subway and just kept walking." Which was true, up to a point.
"Oh." Luke new it probably had something to do with the other guy in Reid's life. But he wasn't going to worry about that right now. He just wanted to make sure that he and Reid were still on good terms.
Reid looked at him. "So, you want to go out tomorrow? Try again? I have to work but we could get together after that. Just the two of us?"
"Sure." Luke put his hand up in the air as if he were pledging. "No friends, I promise!" he said animatedly and laughed.
Reid looked down at his watch. "Wow, I guess we could actually stop conversing out on the street in the middle of the night." He gestured down towards the door of his apartment. "Do you want to come in?"
Luke shook his head. "It's almost one-thirty in the morning, and unlike some of us spoiled rich kids I know you have to work, so I'll just see you here tomorrow?"
Reid looked a little relieved to hear it. "Yeah, how about 6:00."
"Sounds good."
Luke leaned and kissed Reid, lightly, then turned and started up the stairs.
"Hey, Luke?"
Luke stopped and looked down at Reid.
"Thanks for coming over here. It means a lot to me."
"No problem." Luke smiled and then was gone.
The next day Reid was working the latter half of his shift and helping to bus some dishes when he saw Noah behind the bar counter working. Reid couldn't deny that he had checked the schedule when he came in, to see when Noah was starting his shift. He found himself glancing over at the bar from 6:00 onwards to see if Noah was there, even though he was still angry with him. Noah looked over and Reid looked quickly away.
A few minutes later Reid was forced to go to the bar to get a drink order filled. He walked up and perfunctorily handed it to Noah.
"Need this when you have time," he said flatly.
"OK." Noah's voice was cool. "Be right up." He turned away and started pouring drinks.
Reid swallowed and walked grimly away. A few minutes later he saw that the order was ready and came back for it.
"So, is how it's going to be until your shift's up?" Noah had turned back towards Reid and was standing near the tray of drinks as Reid reached for it. He was looking very intently at Reid.
"Probably."
"Reid," Noah's voice sounded a little gentler, "we need to talk about this."
"Do we?"
Reid picked up the tray and walked off.
Reid's shift was almost up. Shelby, another server, came to find Reid in the back. "Some guy is out there waiting for you, Reid."
Reid had a slightly uneasy feeling.
"Some guy?"
"Luke I think he said?"
Reid finished what he was doing and walked hurriedly out into the front of the restaurant. The sight he most did not want to see was in front of his eyes. Luke sitting at the bar with a drink in front of him. Noah standing with his back to Luke, a little further down, behind the bar. Reid gritted his teeth and approached them.
"Hey!" he said lightly as he touched Luke on the shoulder.
Luke turned, a smile on his face. "Hey!" Out of the corner of his eye Reid could see that Noah had turned and was watching this exchange. Then he walked away.
Reid turned his full attention back to Luke. "What are you doing here?" Reid tried to sound a casual note. "I thought we were meeting at my place?"
"Well, I had plans with Casey actually pretty near here, and he ended up having to cut out early. So, I just figured I'd stop by and see if you were still here. Which you were!"
"Oh, OK, that's cool." Reid hoped he sounded like he meant it. He glanced over and saw that Noah had moved even further away, near the end of the bar, his back to them. Reid quickly looked back at Luke. "I'm outta here in about 15 minutes. Do you just wanna wait here?" Reid actually desperately wanted Luke to leave the bar, but there was no real way to suggest this without raising suspicion on his part. Reid's only aim now was to try and limit the damage.
"Sure, sure." Luke smiled. "I'll just nurse my drink here."
Reid glanced over again. Noah was gone.
"OK, see you in a few."
Reid hurried back to one of his tables, collected some plates and settled a tab. He finally went into the small office in the back to clock out and grab his things. He heard someone come into the room behind him. He looked over. It was Noah, but he wasn't looking at Reid and he wasn't saying anything. Noah opened the door to his locker, put something in it, then shut it hard.
Reid stared at him. "Noah?"
Noah turned towards him. Reid had pretty much only ever seen Noah being laid back and mellow. His expression now was still muted but his eyes were pure anger. Noah stepped much closer to Reid. "So," he said in a low voice, "you're mad at me and this is how you're going to get even? Are you actually still seeing that guy?" He jerked his head towards the front of the restaurant.
Reid looked at him fixedly. "Does it matter?"
"How can you say that?"
"Well, you've never asked, have you, Noah? Just assumed that I dropped him?"
"I don't know what I thought about it. I guess I was just too busy concentrating on us, on getting to know you," Noah said through gritted teeth.
Reid looked at him intensely. "Are you and I in a relationship?"
Noah paused. "I thought so. Or at least it was moving in that direction." His tone was icy.
"Even with all the women in your life and the sneaking around?"
"You know what?" Noah's voice fell to a harsh whisper. "I haven’t slept with a woman since…I haven’t slept with anyone but you in the past month!"
Reid was surprised by this information. He glanced out toward the kitchen for a moment to make sure no one was coming, then looked back up at Noah. Reid stepped closer. "Listen Noah," he said in a quiet but fierce voice, "tell me that this is for real and that it's out in the open, and I'm there. You got me? But otherwise, don't look down on me for trying to have some sort of back up plan." He sounded choked up and paused. "Luke's not actually a bad guy. Just over-privileged and a little insecure underneath it all. That's what kills me about you Noah. In so many ways you're not insecure, you're just wonderful! But the one way in which you are is such a fucking drag for me!"
Noah was just staring at him during this whole diatribe as if he'd never seen so many thoughts and feelings coming out of Reid's mouth in a matter of minutes.
"Reid, I..."
"Can you just tell me what you want with me, Noah?"
"It's just, my life, my folks," he paused, "my dad especially..." Noah looked bereft. "It's hard for me right now. I'm not sure what to say."
"Well how about this was a mistake and now we're both hurting each other." Reid sounded bitter.
"Screw you, Reid!" Noah said in a choked voice and walked out of the room.
Part 2