Fic: For Charity (Luke/Noah)
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Title: For Charity
Pairings/Characters: Luke/Noah, Maddie
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5,927 words
Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters.
Summary: Someone “buys” Luke at a charity auction and he ends up spending the evening with handsome, mysterious stranger.
Beta: sweetiejelly - Thank you so much, Ronnie! ♥
Author's Notes: Written for nukeminibang and inspired by the prompt Charity on my Nuke Bingo Card.
“Remind me again why I’m doing this?” Luke peaked out from behind the stage curtain at all the people gathered around the stage in the small, but packed venue. Thankfully he didn’t see a whole lot of people that he knew, but he did spot a couple of familiar faces in the crowd. Great. They would all get to watch him make a fool of himself. He was never going to hear the end of this.
“It’s for charity,” Maddie pointed out, leaning in next to him to glance out at the audience through the gap in the curtain. “You’re doing it because it’s for a good cause. And who knows, you might even have fun.”
“Yeah, right.” Luke sighed and turned around, away from the crowd. “Most likely I’ll end up with some creepy old man who’s looking to finally live out his lifelong, secret fantasy while his wife is at home, thinking he’s at a business meeting. Or it’ll be some girl who’s always wanted a gay friend to discuss fashion and interior design with.” He shrugged. “Either way, it will be greatly disappointing for them and extremely uncomfortable for me. So really, Maddie, why did I ever agree to this?”
“Because you, Luke Snyder, despite being ridiculously negative right now, are a good guy who is willing to sacrifice a few hours of your time to benefit the greater good. You’ll be fine, just wait and see.”
Luke shook his head. Maddie’s optimism was bordering on annoying sometimes. “That’s easy for you to say. You already know that Casey is going to outbid everyone and that you’ll get a romantic evening out of it. I would have liked to see you being in my shoes.”
“I would have handled it a lot better than you’re doing right now.” She gave him an unconcerned smile. “Quit whining, Luke. It’s not the end of the world.”
He watched her walk away and out onto the stage as her name was called. He sighed again and started to pace back and forth nervously in an attempt to calm himself down. It didn’t work.
Maybe Maddie was right. Maybe this wasn’t the end of the world. But Luke sure could think of better ways to spend a Friday night.
----
He was even more nervous when he finally stepped on stage as one of the last ones. The lights hit him, and the audience became a dark mass of heads in front of him. He was actually quite grateful that he couldn’t see most faces very clearly. It made the whole thing more bearable somehow. But he still regretted ever agreeing to do this. Why did he get himself into these situations?
As expected, there wasn’t a whole lot of people bidding on the gay guy (one of two gay guys, actually). In the beginning a few drunken guys made bids just for fun, and Luke stood there, wondering where that hole in the ground was when he needed it the most, feeling more out of his element than he had ever been. This just wasn’t him. He knew it was all just for fun, an entertainment and, judging by the amount of people who were here tonight, popular way to make money for a good cause. But he didn’t like putting himself out there like this, no matter how harmless this event was supposed to be.
In the end, he found himself in a bidding war between two guys: A middle-aged man in the front row and someone in the back that Luke couldn’t see. The guy in the back sounded a lot younger than the one in the front, and even though Luke had no idea who he was, he found himself rooting for the guy. He did not want to spend his night with a man twice his age, even though, to be fair, he looked nice enough. The mystery guy in the back, however? Luke couldn’t help being enticed by the idea of spending the night with an exciting stranger. Hopefully a nice, exciting stranger. And if he was very lucky, maybe even a handsome one.
But, no. He was not going to be excited about this. This whole thing was stupid. It was too late to turn back, though, and he made a promise to himself that no matter whom he had to spend his evening with, he was going to put on his brightest smile and fake his way through it. He was not, however, going to enjoy it.
At last, and much to Luke’s relief, mystery guy outbid front row guy to enthusiastic cheers from the audience. Unfortunately though, his relief was short-lived. Once he realized that he was forced to spend his night with a guy he hadn’t even seen, his nerves came back full force. This was going to be a disaster. He was not cut out for these kinds of arrangements.
Luke hurried off stage, happy to escape the spotlight, and found the woman he had been told to contact to be matched up with his buyer. While he waited for mystery guy to show up, he shuffled nervously from foot to foot, unable to get his nerves under control.
He couldn’t wait for this whole night to be over.
----
The guy was young. He looked like he could be around Luke’s age, and he approached Luke with a tentative smile on his face. “Hi, I’m Noah,” he said, offering his hand to Luke.
Luke took it, momentarily speechless, because he hadn’t been prepared for his mystery buyer to be so… well, hot. He was taller than Luke, and seemed to have a nice, lean body underneath clothes that weren’t formal, but perfect for a night out. His dark, unstyled hair curled a little at the edges and looked really soft. (Luke got a sudden urge to run his fingers through it.) Luke let his eyes travel, settling for a moment on an uncertain, but really nice smile, and then he was finally looking directly into a pair of striking, blue eyes that were really hard to look away from.
He did, though, after a halfway successful attempt at acting like a normal person instead of a staring fool. But at least he would have something nice to look at tonight, even if the evening itself should turn into a disaster. “Luke,” he finally got out, finding his voice again after the initial surprise. “Nice to meet you.”
They drew their hands back and stood there in awkward silence for a moment. Noah seemed hesitant, and almost more nervous than Luke, and for some reason that made Luke relax a little. “So, I’m all yours for the night.” He gave Noah what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “Do you have any plans?”
“I do, actually,” Noah admitted, blushing slightly. “I mean, if that’s okay with you.”
“Of course,” Luke said, surprised by Noah’s apparent shyness. He had pictured a lot of different scenarios and possible companions for tonight, but nothing like this. Not someone like Noah. “Anything you want.”
“Okay.” Noah smiled again. “Feel free to veto anything you don’t like, though. I want you to have a good time.”
“Unless you expect me to become a criminal I think we’re good,” Luke grinned, feeling pretty certain that whatever Noah had planned for tonight, it would be something that he could handle with relative ease. Noah seemed like someone who wouldn’t hurt a fly.
“Right.” Noah looked relieved, but he was clearly nervous still. “I thought maybe we could start by going to the movie theater. There’s a showing of Gone With The Wind today. Have you seen it?”
“No,” Luke said, surprised by Noah’s suggestion. Going to the movies seemed like such a normal thing to do, and not something Luke expected from someone who bought his company at a charity auction. And he certainly didn’t expect Noah to choose a movie that, as far as Luke knew, was an old love story. “Isn’t that movie, like, really old?”
“It’s a classic,” Noah corrected. “One of my favorites. And it’s not often there’s a chance to watch it at the movies anymore, so I figured, if you want…”
“Sure.” Luke smiled, because Noah looked really uncomfortable, like he was scared to say or do the wrong thing. “I haven’t been to the movies in ages.
Noah’s face brightened and he gave Luke a grateful smile. “Great.” He checked his watch. “The movie starts in thirty minutes.” He motioned with his hand toward the exit, indicating for Luke to go first. “Shall we?”
Luke nodded and walked towards the door, Noah following right behind him. He couldn’t quite believe his luck, that he had somehow ended up with a guy who, in addition to being really hot, was also adorably shy and polite. Or, so it seemed. He just hoped that Noah didn’t turn out to be a creep later on.
Somehow he doubted it. Noah seemed like a genuinely nice guy.
And Luke was going to the movies with him. This night was quickly turning into something quite different than he had expected.
----
The movie was long, but pretty good, and Luke enjoyed it a lot more than he thought he would. Still, he was happy when it was over. Sitting next to each other in a dark movie theater didn’t leave them with a whole lot of opportunities to talk, and Luke wanted to talk. Noah intrigued him. There was something mysterious about him and Luke wanted to find out more.
After the movie Noah took him to a restaurant, and a really nice one at that. Not too formal, but decidedly classy. A waiter showed them to a quiet corner table in the back of the room, and Luke was shocked into stunned silence for a moment, first at realizing that Noah had reserved a table for them, and then when Noah actually pulled his chair out for him.
It finally hit him, then. This was a date. He hadn’t been sure before - this whole situation made him uncertain, and he hadn’t been sure what Noah’s intentions were. He hadn’t even been able to determine if Noah was gay.
But this? This was definitely a date. No matter how the whole thing came about, or what reasons Noah had for taking him out tonight.
And Luke, who could count on one hand the number of times he had been on dates in the past, decided to make the most of it.
“So, Noah, where are you from?” Luke asked as they waited for their food to arrive. “I assume you’re a student?”
“I am,” Noah confirmed with a nod, and Luke was pleased to notice that Noah seemed more relaxed now than at their initial meeting. The movie and the cozy, quiet atmosphere of the restaurant had clearly helped calm his nerves some. Luke was feeling a lot more relaxed himself. “This is my first year. And as for where I’m from… I’m from all over. My dad and I have moved around my whole life. I don’t think I’ve stayed in one place for more than two years.”
“Really?” Luke was intrigued. “Wow. You must have seen a lot of different places. Me, I’m from a small town in Illinois and before I moved here for college I’d never lived anywhere else.”
“That’s… I don’t even know what that’s like. To have roots, to belong somewhere…” Noah’s voice had turned wistful. “That sounds amazing to me.”
Luke had never thought about it like that. Even though he had certainly experienced his fair share of crazy stuff, he had always considered himself quite boring and inexperienced, someone who had grown up sheltered and protected and had a lot to learn about the world outside of Oakdale. As much as he loved his hometown, he had sometimes felt frustrated and isolated and longed for something different. He had never really thought about how some people might envy the way he grew up.
“Yeah, in many ways I guess I’m lucky,” Luke said. “But I would have loved to see more of the world.”
“The world is not all it’s cracked up to be,” Noah said. “I mean, there are some beautiful and amazing places out there. But the truth is that none of those places mean anything when you always feel like a visitor.”
Luke had to swallow a sudden lump in his throat. “Yeah, I can see that. I guess it’s easy to take things for granted when you’ve always had them.” He felt almost sad for Noah and wondered whether he should change the subject or encourage Noah to keep talking. Luke somehow got the feeling that Noah didn’t usually share his feelings on this particular subject. There was something about the way he talked that led Luke to believe that Noah usually didn’t say these words out loud.
But before he could make a decision, Noah changed the subject himself. “Tell me about your hometown. What’s it called?”
“Oakdale. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of it. No one has.”
“Oakdale?” Noah repeated thoughtfully. “Yeah, I’ve heard of it. There’s a pretty good university there. And a local TV station, I think?”
“WOAK.” Luke stared at Noah in surprise. “I’m impressed. How do you know these things?”
“Believe it or not, but I was actually planning to attend Oakdale U this year,” Noah said. “They have a pretty good film program there. And because of some… financial problems I thought for a while that Northwestern wouldn’t be an option. So I did some research, just to see what sort of place I was going to.”
“Wow,” Luke said, still surprised. “Most people I meet have no idea where Oakdale even is.”
Noah ducked his head with a bashful smile, and something happened inside Luke when he saw that smile. A flutter in his stomach, a tingle down his body. He would pay money to see that smile, he really would.
Their food arrived and for a while they didn’t talk much, focusing instead on the meal. Still, Luke couldn’t help but glance at Noah across the table while he ate, and at one point their gazes met, held for just a moment, before Luke looked away, his face flushed. He was confused and surprised by his reaction to Noah, but in a way he welcomed it, too. It had been a long time since he had reacted this way to another boy and it was exciting and thrilling. But he found it a bit scary, too, and he had to remind himself that even though this clearly was a date, it wasn’t a date in the normal sense of the word. It wasn’t a result of a mutual agreement because they liked each other. Noah had bought Luke’s time. And even though being here wasn’t much of a hardship for Luke, he still had no idea what reasons Noah had for doing this, or if he even liked Luke like that. Which was stupid to even think about, because they didn’t know each other, so why should Noah be interested?
After dinner they got dessert and if it had been hard for Luke to not look at Noah while they ate dinner, it became almost impossible now. They ordered ice cream and berries, and watching Noah lift the spoon to his lips and pop the berries into his mouth with slow movements, and seeing how they made his lips red and wet, was incredibly distracting. For a while he wondered if Noah was doing it on purpose, but for some reason Noah didn’t strike him as the obvious flirting type. He rather seemed like the kind of guy who had no idea how attractive he was or what kind of effect he had on other people.
When the meal was over, Luke was both dazed and flushed. It was like Noah had put him in some sort of trance, and Luke figured it was time to end it before he made a complete fool of himself. “I take it you’re a film student?” he asked, in an attempt to get the conversation going again. When Noah sent him a questioning look, Luke added, “You mentioned the film program at OU before.”
Noah nodded. “Yeah, I am. Movies are kind of a big passion of mine, and working in the film industry is the only thing I want to do with my life, really.”
“And let me guess. You love the classics.”
Noah smile was a little flustered. “I do. There’s nothing like the classics. Don’t get me wrong, they still make great movies, but there’s something special about the old ones. I don’t think it’s possible to make that kind of movies anymore.” He sounded almost sad when he said it, and Luke felt a strange need to offer some kind of comfort.
“But maybe, in fifty years or so, today’s movies will be the classics,” he said. “Maybe they just need time to reach that status.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Noah gave him a smile that was so genuine that Luke’s breath caught in his throat and he had to take a moment before he could speak. He swallowed.
“You should meet my friend Maddie,” he said, with what he hoped was a cheerful smile. “She’s a total movie buff.”
“I would love to,” Noah said, and Luke wondered how he could seem so calm, when inside Luke there were butterflies aflutter and a rapidly beating heart. Noah seemed completely unaffected. Maybe he was. That thought discouraged Luke a little, but he reminded himself, once again, what this night was. Noah didn’t owe him anything, and Luke certainly had no right to expect anything from him.
“So what program are you in?” Noah asked, and it took a second before Luke was able to gather his mind enough to realize what Noah was talking about. Pull yourself together, Luke, he quietly chastised himself.
“Comparative literature,” Luke said. “Undergraduate. I’m not really sure what I want to do with my life, though. Most of all I want to be a writer.”
“Then I hope you become one,” Noah said. “If writing is something you’re passionate about, then you should do anything you can to make it happen.”
Luke got the sense that Noah wasn’t just talking about him right now, but before he got the chance to follow that thought, the waiter appeared to collect their plates, and Noah asked for the bill. Noah insisted on paying and Luke didn’t put up much of an argument - he wasn’t sure what rules there were for these kinds of arrangements, but since the inviting party usually paid at normal dates, he figured it might be the same here.
A thought hit him then - their meal was over. Did that mean the night was coming to an end? Luke didn’t want it to, he really didn’t, but this was Noah’s night and he was the one who made the calls.
So when they were walking towards the exit and Noah asked if Luke wanted to take a walk with him, Luke breathed a quiet sigh of relief and gave Noah a big smile.
----
It was a beautiful night outside. Luke wasn’t sure what time it was - he had no idea how long they had been at the restaurant and he wasn’t wearing a watch, nor had he had the chance to check his phone. But the half moon was sitting high in the sky and there were not a whole lot of people out. It was a perfect night for a walk.
It was almost romantic, Luke thought. If the situation had been different, it definitely would have been.
They walked in silence for a while, and Luke decided that it was time to finally ask the question that had been nagging at him all night.
“Can I ask you something?” he said, his voice loud in the quiet street.
Noah looked over at him. “Yeah, of course.”
“Okay.” They walked a few more steps before Luke continued, “Why did you do this? Why did you bid at the auction? I mean… I’m glad you did. I had a great time tonight.” He gave Noah a quick smile. “But I guess I don’t really understand… why.”
Noah didn’t say anything for a long time. Luke started to regret saying anything at all, because this really wasn’t any of his business. If Noah wanted to spend his money on a night with Luke, that was his choice, and Luke’s only job was to make sure that Noah had a good time. He didn’t know Noah. They weren’t even friends, and Noah had no obligation to tell Luke anything.
Just as Luke was about to apologize for mentioning it, Noah spoke.
“I’m not out,” he said. “Not really. I mean, I’m not making much of an effort to hide it around campus, but I haven’t actually told anyone. My dad has no idea. And I can’t tell him. If I did I’d lose him.”
“I’m sure you wouldn’t,” Luke said. “I mean, if he got some time to get used to the idea…”
“No, I would,” Noah said with certainty. “He would never accept it. And… we’re not close or anything, but I’m not ready to lose him. Not yet. And then there’s the fact that he’s paying for my education. I can’t… I can’t risk losing that.”
“Okay,” Luke said slowly, not quite understanding what this had to do with anything. “I guess I can understand that.”
Noah gave him a tight smile, looking a little tenser now. “I’ve never had a boyfriend,” he continued. “But I want to, you know? I want to be with someone. Someone who is special, and who finds me special, too. Someone to love. But I can’t have that. Not yet. I can’t even date. It would be too risky. But then I saw you, and I thought… that maybe, for one night, I could be myself. I thought that maybe I could have that one perfect date I’ve always dreamed of.”
Luke swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. Whatever reasons he thought Noah might have, this wasn’t it. He remembered all too well what it was like to keep that secret, to hide who he really was. How scared he had been that his family would find out and push him away.
Noah looked at him. “This must sound crazy to you,” he said.
Luke shook his head. “No, it doesn’t. I just wish things were different for you. And I hope that tonight is everything you wanted it to be.”
Noah’s shoulders relaxed a little and he smiled at Luke. “It is. Thank you for being so cool about it.”
Luke gave him a smile in return, still a bit taken aback by Noah’s revelation, but Noah didn’t need to know that. He got a sudden impulse, and in a moment of boldness he grabbed Noah’s hand, his heart giving a small leap at the contact. Noah startled next to him and turned to stare at Luke with wide eyes.
“It’s a date, right?” Luke said with a small shrug and a calmness he didn’t really feel.
Noah continued to look at him, and then down at their hands, and Luke hoped that he hadn’t overwhelmed him or gone too far. Noah wasn’t out, after all. He might not be comfortable with things like this. But after a while Noah’s features relaxed some, and still with a bit of apprehension on his face, he linked his fingers properly with Luke’s.
Luke smiled brightly, trying to make Noah feel comfortable, and also because they were holding hands.
They continued down the street, hand in hand, and Luke thought to himself that this might not be a date in the normal sense of the word, but it was starting to feel more real than any date he had ever been on.
----
After walking for a while, their conversation easy and quiet, like they had known each other a lot longer than just a few hours, they found themselves approaching one of the parks in the area. Soft music reached Luke’s ears, and when they entered the park, they discovered that there was some kind of event going on, with a band playing and lots of people swaying along to the slow rhythm. Luke and Noah slowed their steps and stood there watching for a while.
Noah tugged lightly on Luke’s hand. “Will you dance with me?” he whispered, looking almost surprised at his own bold question.
Luke was surprised too, because Noah had been so shy and careful all night, but he smiled at Noah and nodded. “Yes,” he said, and Noah gave him a relieved smile and pulled him over to the other couples. There was a slightly awkward moment where they tried to figure out where their hands went, and they both laughed nervously, but then they figured it out, and tentatively wrapped their arms around each other.
It was the first time Luke slow danced with another guy. His heart was hammering and his whole body felt alert and tingling, but there was also a strange sense of calmness settling over him. It felt good being in Noah’s arms. Safe. And, even though he almost didn’t dare to even think it, right.
But this wasn’t real. He had to remember that, no matter how amazing this felt right now.
Still, he was dancing with an attractive guy that he really liked, and he was going to enjoy that, no matter the circumstances.
They were swaying more than dancing, which was good, because then Luke didn’t have to worry about being clumsy and awkward, which was how he usually appeared on a dance floor. Instead he could focus on Noah.
Actually, it was kind of difficult to focus on anything other than Noah, because right now, Luke’s world consisted only of him. His arms around Luke were solid but gentle, and Luke, who had been a bit tense at first, let himself relax into them. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on Noah’s shoulder. He could hear Noah’s breath hitch (and maybe he wasn’t quite so unaffected after all), but he leaned his head against Luke’s, and Luke had never, ever felt so alive.
He was flying, somewhere up high, some place wonderful, where he and Noah could stay like this forever. Something was happening inside him, and between them, but now wasn’t the time to analyze that. Because this was a moment, a special one, one that he would remember for a very long time.
It was so easy to forget everything else, so when the music stopped and the people around them started to applaud the band, they both startled. To Luke, it was almost a shock to discover that they weren’t alone.
He felt a bit shaky as they pulled apart, and he wasn’t sure he would be able to speak right now if he tried. He dared a quick glance at Noah, who looked flustered and bewildered, his eyes wide and confused. So Luke wasn’t the only one who had felt it. Whatever ‘it’ was.
Noah was the first one to speak. “Thank you for the dance.” There was a faint tremor in his voice.
Luke just nodded, forcing a small smile. It was all he could do.
----
They walked back to Luke’s dorm in silence. They didn’t hold hands this time, not because Luke didn’t want to, but because he was afraid it would be too much for Noah after the dance. He was afraid it would be too much for himself, too, to be completely honest.
He was still shaken by the dance and whatever had happened with him while he was in Noah’s arms. And what scared Luke the most, was the realization of how easy it would be to fall for Noah, if he let himself. Of course, he couldn’t do that - he and Noah had tonight together and that was it - but that didn’t change the fact that Noah was affecting him in ways that no other guy had ever done before.
But, no. Luke made an attempt to shake himself out of his daze. He had to stop this. Right now. God, he was pathetic, getting all moony-eyed and fluttery over a guy he was on a pretend date with.
So when they arrived at Luke’s dorm, he turned to Noah and smiled. “Thank you for a great evening,” he said.
“Thank you,” Noah said. “You said before that you hoped tonight would be everything I wanted it to be. And it was.”
“I’m glad.”
They stood in silence for a moment, until Noah made a vague gesture with his hand. “I should probably go,” he said, reluctance clear in his voice. “I have an early shift tomorrow.”
“Where do you work?” Luke asked, wanting to prolong this evening as much as he possibly could.
“At a coffee shop, the one by the main campus library. Do you know it?”
“Yeah, I know it. I might stop by sometime.”
Noah smiled. “You should.”
Luke nodded slowly and gave Noah a promising grin before acknowledging that the night had, regretfully, come to an end. Noah seemed to have realized the same thing.
“Thank you, again,” he said. “Tonight really was great.”
Luke nodded and stepped forward to pull Noah into a hug, one that lasted maybe a bit longer than it should, but Noah’s arms came up and wrapped around Luke easily, and Luke figured it was okay to indulge a little before letting Noah go.
By the time the hug ended, though, something had changed. Or maybe it hadn’t changed, maybe it was the same thing Luke had felt all evening - that attraction that made his heart race when they were near each other, and that made him want to look at Noah all the time. That thing that had turned their dance into something more than just a dance. Whatever it was, it was hanging there in the space between them, making it hard to breathe.
Actually, there wasn’t much space left between them at all. Luke’s hands were still perched on Noah’s shoulders, Noah’s arms still resting lightly at Luke’s waist. It was like they were both reluctant to pull apart completely and had stopped before they could move too far away.
Luke wondered briefly if he would be completely out of line if he maybe… kissed Noah. Noah certainly didn’t look like he would mind, if the way he was staring at Luke’s lips right now was any indication. Luke realized that he might be staring a bit himself, but in his defense, Noah’s lips looked extremely kissable right now. It was so tempting to lean in and close those few inches that separated them… But somewhere in the back in his mind he remembered that Noah was the one who was supposed to make the calls tonight. The last thing Luke wanted after the amazing night they had was to do anything that would make him uncomfortable.
In the end he decided that he needed to leave it up to Noah. “You can kiss me if you want to,” he whispered, because it couldn’t hurt to give Noah a little push in the right direction.
Noah’s eyes grew wider and he moved his gaze from Luke’s lips to his eyes. He swallowed visibly. “Okay,” he said, in a voice that was almost inaudible.
Even though Luke knew what was coming, it was still a shock to feel Noah’s lips against his. He hadn’t kissed a whole lot of guys in his life and he had almost forgotten what it was like. He had almost forgotten how amazing it felt, or maybe it was because it was with Noah that it felt so great. Noah’s lips were soft and warm, but a bit dry, and he tasted like the dessert they had earlier. He was hesitant at first, much like he had been all night, but Luke, who was quickly being swept off his feet, responded eagerly, and it wasn’t long before he could feel Noah melt into him.
It felt entirely too soon when Noah pulled away, and a little moan of protest slipped out of Luke. He should probably have felt embarrassed about it, but there wasn’t room for any of that right now. Luke glanced up at Noah, who looked dazed and was breathing raggedly. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out.
Luke couldn’t help the small chuckle that burst out of him. “Looks like we make a good team.”
A small, breathless laugh slipped out of Noah. He ducked his head and smiled sheepishly. “Yeah.” He looked down for a few moments before he lifted his head and let his gaze rest on Luke again. His expression turned sober. “Luke, I… I wish that we could have had more than this one night together. Even if we can’t, I want you to know that.”
Luke smiled sadly. “I know. I wish that too.”
Noah nodded slowly and gave Luke a ghost of a smile. “Thank you again for tonight, though,” he said, digging his hands into his pockets. “I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect date.” He flushed a little. “I especially enjoyed that last part.”
Luke laughed. “Yeah, that was my favorite part too.”
They said their final goodbyes and Luke started walking toward the entrance to his building. But after a few steps he stopped and turned around. “Hey, Noah?”
Noah, who had started to walk away, whirled around at the sound of his voice, facing him again. “Yeah?”
Luke shuffled his feet for a moment and bit his lip, hesitant. “When… when you’re ready, to take the next step… let me know, okay? You know where to find me.” He made a vague gesture towards the building behind him. “And until then, you’ll see me around.”
Noah looked at him for a moment, and nodded slowly. “Okay. Yeah. I’ll find you.” It sounded like a promise.
It was the last thing they said to each other. Luke watched Noah walk away, and only when Noah disappeared around a corner did he turn around and walked the rest of the way to the door.
----
The next day, Maddie called him.
“How was your night?” she asked as soon as they had exchanged hellos. “Casey dragged me off so quickly last night that I didn’t even get the chance to see your guy.”
“The night was good,” Luke replied simply, flopping down on his bed while holding the phone to his ear.
“Good? That’s all you’re going to give me?”
“What do you want me to say?” He made an attempt at a shrug even though she couldn’t see that. “A guy won the auction and we went out. It was fun.”
“Really?” She didn’t sound entirely convinced. “So no old creep then?”
“No, thank god.”
She sighed. “Are you really not going to tell me anything? You know I want details.”
He smiled. The truth was that he couldn’t wait to tell her about last night, even though he intended to let some things remain private. “I know. And I’ll tell you. Coffee later?”
“Sure. Where do you want to go?”
His answer was immediate and he smiled to himself as he said, “Do you know the coffee shop by the campus library?”
-END-