It's not as if Luke has never heard the words before Reid. His sister, before everything, had told him she loved him all the time, and Clary had said the words to him with some regularity as well. It had slipped out once or twice in the short relationship he'd had in New York and Luke is still fairly certain he meant it at the time, that she did as well. Jocelyn had been very careful not to tell Luke she loved him, though he'd said it to her once or twice, just so she would know that there was someone who cared.
But sitting here like this, the two of them quiet in a group of happy people, food and coffee being passed around, and Reid's hand warm in his, Luke knows nothing has ever felt like this. He's never thought himself to be a restless or discontent man, but if this is true contentment, then he knows without question he's never felt anything like it. There's been happiness of all kinds over the course of his life and Luke doesn't think he's missed out or been particularly hard done by. He's not the type of man to dwell negatively on the upsetting events of his life, wanting instead of learn from them, to understand better what might have caused them to happen and to continue on into his life with this knowledge, but he's never been content like this.
Knowing he's loved, hearing those words, it's something the likes of which he's never known before and he smiles to himself, warmth settling into his chest and anchoring there as if it's never going to leave. Life is filled with uncertainties and Luke has never claimed to deserve anything, to find himself more or less worthy of simple happiness than anyone else, and he knows there are no guarantees no matter where they've come from or where they are now. What he knows, though, is that for as long as he's able, until the choice is taken away from him through the whims of this city of death, he's going to be here with this man. Realistically he understands there are risks, especially in a place like Darrow, but being aware of those risks doesn't take away from this in the slightest. The end may come, one of them may leave, but he won't dwell on that and he won't let it detract from what they have, not even for a moment.
"I love you, too," he says, his voice low, carrying only far enough for Reid to hear. He isn't embarrassed by this expression of emotion and if anyone were to overheard, he certainly wouldn't mind, but it's a moment to be shared by the two of them and no one else. He isn't saying it for an audience, he's saying it for Reid, the only person whose opinions of this relationship matter to Luke at all. There are times still when it's faintly unsettling, realizing how far he's come, how little the Clave truly affects him anymore, but unsettling in a good way. He's rather proud of how much he's been able to let go of them and their rules after having been under them for so long.
"This isn't like Halloween, though," he warns with a little grin. "The children aren't going to get tired before nine o'clock and all be carried home by their parents. We're in this one for the long haul." Which means no closing down early so he can drag Reid off to their bedroom and no sneaking off to private corners, because sooner or later they're going to be found. Probably by Magnus, who seems as if he'd have a sixth sense for finding people trying to have a private moment in a dark corner.
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But sitting here like this, the two of them quiet in a group of happy people, food and coffee being passed around, and Reid's hand warm in his, Luke knows nothing has ever felt like this. He's never thought himself to be a restless or discontent man, but if this is true contentment, then he knows without question he's never felt anything like it. There's been happiness of all kinds over the course of his life and Luke doesn't think he's missed out or been particularly hard done by. He's not the type of man to dwell negatively on the upsetting events of his life, wanting instead of learn from them, to understand better what might have caused them to happen and to continue on into his life with this knowledge, but he's never been content like this.
Knowing he's loved, hearing those words, it's something the likes of which he's never known before and he smiles to himself, warmth settling into his chest and anchoring there as if it's never going to leave. Life is filled with uncertainties and Luke has never claimed to deserve anything, to find himself more or less worthy of simple happiness than anyone else, and he knows there are no guarantees no matter where they've come from or where they are now. What he knows, though, is that for as long as he's able, until the choice is taken away from him through the whims of this city of death, he's going to be here with this man. Realistically he understands there are risks, especially in a place like Darrow, but being aware of those risks doesn't take away from this in the slightest. The end may come, one of them may leave, but he won't dwell on that and he won't let it detract from what they have, not even for a moment.
"I love you, too," he says, his voice low, carrying only far enough for Reid to hear. He isn't embarrassed by this expression of emotion and if anyone were to overheard, he certainly wouldn't mind, but it's a moment to be shared by the two of them and no one else. He isn't saying it for an audience, he's saying it for Reid, the only person whose opinions of this relationship matter to Luke at all. There are times still when it's faintly unsettling, realizing how far he's come, how little the Clave truly affects him anymore, but unsettling in a good way. He's rather proud of how much he's been able to let go of them and their rules after having been under them for so long.
"This isn't like Halloween, though," he warns with a little grin. "The children aren't going to get tired before nine o'clock and all be carried home by their parents. We're in this one for the long haul." Which means no closing down early so he can drag Reid off to their bedroom and no sneaking off to private corners, because sooner or later they're going to be found. Probably by Magnus, who seems as if he'd have a sixth sense for finding people trying to have a private moment in a dark corner.