youfeelluckypunk | [turkey day, nov 21]

Entry tags:

[turkey day, nov 21]

They've graciously been invited to Derek's Thanksgiving celebration on the actual day itself, but Reid had gotten to thinking after Luke had told him of the invitation that it would be nice to throw a small get-together of their own. Halloween at the bookstore had been a success, after all, and in spite of the fact that they'd been sent to a hellish version of Darrow for the next ten days, Reid had really enjoyed planning and decorating for the holiday with his boyfriend. In a way, it also serves as a bit of a housewarming, even if nobody else needs to know that. They've been officially living together for a week now, though the only real difference is that he's handed over his keys to the Dimera apartment back to the landlord.

Still, being able to call this apartment home, knowing that he gets to spend every night with the man he loves, it means something special to him, and he wants to share that sense of home with the rest of the people he cares about.

So he sends out texts to Alec and Magnus, Peter and Jason and Hild, telling them all to save the date for the twenty-first so they can have an early Thanksgiving celebration. Others are welcome, of course, and Reid suspects they'll have more than enough food because he'd made arrangements for one restaurant in particular (one that he visits often and had already been promoting take-out for Thanksgiving Day) to set him up with a turkey dinner early. There are all the expected fixings, though he'd ordered four turkeys because Luke still needs to eat more to make up for all the weight he'd lost in the alternate version of Darrow, plus a couple pumpkin pies and various other desserts strewn out across the table. The wine Peter had given to him on Halloween is out, available for consumption to those who want it, but Reid will be sticking to water tonight.

If anyone asks, he's been slaving away in the kitchen all day long, brewing coffee after coffee as he and Luke make sure everything looks nice and neat for their first Thanksgiving dinner together. The food is set out over the counter in the kitchen, china and utensils and glassware placed at the very end so people can take what they want and find a place to eat in the living room, where they've placed extra chairs, and it isn't until they hear the first knock at the door that Reid finally decides he's satisfied with the way everything looks.

Every single person who will be here tonight has been through so much, seen more than one person ever should, but tonight, Reid is just grateful that they're all still here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

They sit in a quiet, comfortable silence for a moment, both of them observing the room and the small group of people who've gathered to celebrate with them tonight. To Reid, it still feels a little strange to think of how quickly he's gained so many friends who are close to his heart in just six months (and frankly, he can hardly believe it's already been six months since he'd arrived). Making friends had been difficult for him, and he wouldn't say he excels at it now but somehow, it seems easier. Maybe that has to do with how much Luke has brightened his life, his spirit. Maybe he's more accommodating now that he's in love, which Reid doesn't suppose is a theory that's out of the question.

At Luke's thanks, he looks down at his boyfriend in surprise. "I didn't do it alone," he reminds him, sliding down from his perch and forcing Luke to make room for him. "It's our home, our friends, our party. We're in this together." Nudging Luke's knee with his own, he gives his boyfriend a wide smile. "To be fair, we didn't cook any of the food, though I'm pretty sure everyone here should be thanking us for that. Maybe we should make an attempt at making pies for Derek's party."

He pauses, narrowing his eyes as he imagines all the time they'll surely waste getting it wrong, though he suspects they'd turn it around to make their misfortune in the kitchen favorable in other ways, what with Luke's propensity for leaving streaks of baked goods on his neck. "On second thought, maybe not. Not for the party, at least. I'm all for getting up to our own special method of baking, just for the record."

Luke shifts over on the couch to make room for Reid, though only just enough, choosing instead to stay pressed quite close against his side. Moving his arm, his slides his hand into the crook of Reid's elbow, their arms linked as they sit together on the couch and he thinks about how far they've come, how much has changed and how natural it all feels at the same time. When he slips his hand down the inside of Reid's arm until his fingers rest against the warm, bare skin at his wrist, Luke suppresses a little shiver and a sigh, pleased and full and content. With the dinner, with this evening, with his entire life, and most especially with the man sitting beside him now. Reid says this is theirs, that they'd both done it, but it had really been Reid's idea and he'd done so much of the work. It feels important to acknowledge that and so he only squeezes his boyfriend's arm when he says it was both of them.

"Derek told me that I would embarrass myself next to Helen and another friend of his if I tried to bake something for his dinner," Luke tells Reid with a grin and although Derek hadn't used those exact words, he had been absolutely right. Luke's best cooking consists of eggs and bacon and while he makes an incredible sandwich, he knows there's really nothing complicated about that. Baking seems to be a hobby best left between the two of them, just as Reid has suggested.

A little snort of laughter escapes him and he's glad for the rising voices around them, the clatter of dishes and the clinking of mugs on saucers. It makes it easier for him to just absorb what Reid has said without worrying anyone has overheard. And it makes it just as easy for him to lean in and say, "You just like it when I lick things off you." He's far from ready to get up and spend the rest of the night with Reid and no one else, he's enjoying the atmosphere for this evening far too much to give it up just yet, but he wants Reid to remember what's coming later.

As if either of them could really forget.

"Derek is probably right," Reid answers matter-of-factly, and it's not meant an insult, it's simply a statement they both know to be true. He grins up at Luke anyway, his eyes bright and cheeks pink from the pleasure of having Luke's fingers brushing against his wrist, and it shouldn't be a surprise anymore just how content he is to be with his boyfriend, but it is. It continues to floor him every single day. It's not as if he'd been worried that moving in together would fundamentally change anything between them, but he's heard horror stories of couples whose passion disintegrates from being too close too much of the time. Granted, this is something he'd picked up from Ethan and even Morgan, both men close to incapable of commitment for their own reasons, so Reid doesn't necessarily put a lot of stock into it but at the same time, the truth of the matter is that he still isn't entirely certain how to be a boyfriend.

By no means are either of them doing poorly, though, at least not in his opinion (or Luke's, for that matter, and when it comes to their relationship, their opinions are the only ones that matter). A full week hasn't yet passed since Reid had moved the rest of his belongings here, but it doesn't feel like much has changed. He'd been here regularly enough before they'd started dating so he hadn't had to learn his way around; he's gotten used to falling asleep and waking up next to Luke, two things he's learned he absolutely loves doing because finding his legs entangled with his boyfriend's in the morning, sometimes with Luke's arm draped over him, is an incredible feeling. Lying there, basking in the comfort of being with the person most important to him in this world, it's made him late for work more than a couple times; and so has doing more than just lying there, though that isn't exactly appropriate brain fodder considering the company they're keeping in the apartment right now.

Of course, resisting the images in his mind is nearly impossible when Luke talks to him like this. Not that Reid minds in the slightest. The comment about licking, for instance, makes the corners of his lips curl up a bit more mischievously, and Reid lifts his chin, leaning closer against his boyfriend as he carefully keeps his gaze facing forward. "And I suppose you might be right about that, too. Just a little, though. It's really not my fault that you're so skilled with your tongue."

Derek is absolutely correct, Luke has no doubt in that, and he's not at all bothered by the fact that Reid knows it, too. Neither of them are cooks, neither of them seem particularly interested in learning how to cook and Luke wonders if it's just his lifestyle sticking with him. He's had nearly twenty years as a relative bachelor, twenty years off toast, cereal, sandwiches and takeout, which is a hard sort of history to change now that he's here. With Reid living in the apartment with him, he's tried to branch out a little. In the mornings he makes eggs and bacon when he has time, mostly because he likes to idea of sending his boyfriend off to work after breakfast. He makes a delicious sandwich, so at least he's capable of that much, but he's never going to be cooking a meal like this. It's nice to realize Reid really doesn't mind. Together they can still put on an evening like this and Luke figures that's really the thing that matters most.

He loves living with Reid. Maybe it's only been a week and maybe it's supposed to be an adjustment, given that this is the first time Luke has shared his space with anyone in a significant way. Clary and Simon had stayed over at his place sometimes in Manhattan, she'd often spent a week with him here and there when Jocelyn had been out of town, sometimes just a night or two if she and her mother were fighting and they needed their space. Luke had always been happy to have her there, but sharing an apartment with Clary had never been at all difficult. She'd been neat and courteous and helpful because it hadn't really been her place, no matter how comfortable she had been. Luke wants Reid to be comfortable here, he wants him to leave little messes behind if that's what's natural to him, he wants to find his coffee mug sitting beside the kitchen sink sometimes. He wants all those little details that remind him he's no longer living alone. Briefly he'd wondered if letting go of his solitary tendencies would be difficult, but they haven't been. Not at all.

Stroking his fingers against the inside of Reid's wrist again, he grins, looking down at his other hand resting against his knee. He tips his head to the side, resting his temple against Reid's shoulder for a moment before he straightens up again and shrugs deeply. "That's not anyone's fault, really. I suppose it's just a natural talent I seem to possess. Must be all those years of extensive Shadowhunter training that have left me agile in all manner of speaking."

He's teasing, he truly has no idea if he's actually good at anything when it comes to sex, but he knows Reid seems rather pleased. And so long as the two of them are happy together, that's really the only thing that matters to Luke.

Too amused to even formulate a proper response to that, Reid merely hums, though he certainly agree with the assessment. His sexual experience is limited to just one other person, true, but every time they end up making love on any given day (which is more often than not, frankly), it reminds Reid of how unbelievably lucky he is to have come across a relationship like this. His boyfriend is always so considerate, so gentle and generous, both in and out of the bedroom, and Reid's only complaint would perhaps be that sometimes, he simply can't help but be late for work in the morning. To roll over on his side and find this man, this beautiful man with his dark curls and an accent that Reid's seen instantly charm people, it's just near impossible to resist. Still, starting off that way does often set him in an good mood right off the bat so really, Reid would say his colleagues probably owe Luke for quite a lot, even if they don't realize that.

It seems against the odds in so many ways, the idea of meeting someone in a world that, by all logic and reason that he understands, shouldn't even exist; but they're here, they'd met that first day and now, they're throwing Thanksgiving parties for what's practically an adopted family they've formed in the city in the apartment they share together. This isn't the Spencer Reid his teammates would have known in Virginia, but it's the only Spencer Reid he wants to be. He wouldn't go back to who he was before he'd come here if offered the chance, there's no possible way he could.

"I love you," he murmurs, and it's practically a whisper among the conversations being held around them, but that works well enough for him. The words are private, they're only for Luke, and he doesn't mind shouting from the rooftops that he's in love with this incredible man beside him but in this particular moment, it's something quiet he wants to share. Glancing down at Luke's hand, he takes it in his own, stroking over his boyfriend's knuckles before bringing them up to his lips to gently kiss.

It isn't difficult to imagine what he'd be doing if he hadn't met any of these people, and that's spending the holidays alone, hoping for a case to come up just so he can have something to focus on, which he knows sounds awful but it's always been true of him. Without being given something to do, his thoughts run wild and when that happens, he tends to stress himself out with his inability to keep anything straight. Here, though, he's perfectly content. He always does seem to be when Luke is involved, and Reid knows that's a testament to just how much he needs his boyfriend in his life. Luke has become an anchor, a rock, and he somehow manages to encompass every role that Reid has been missing--a lover, a best friend, a confidante. He's almost certain that this isn't the kind of relationship that people regularly stumble upon; it's something special, and he'll never be willing to give it up.

"I love you, and I'm thankful for you," he adds, setting their hands down on his thigh. "It'd take me far too long to verbalize my extensive mental list of reasons why I think you're so wonderful so just know that I will do my best to show you just how much I appreciate you later."

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.

"If any of them get into that wine, we might be the parents carrying them to the guest room," Reid answers with a grin, though he highly doubts anyone in this room would let it come to that. The others aren't children, not by any stretch of the imagination, especially not when considering how much they've each already been through in their short lives so far; but even though Reid may have developed a strong investment in their futures, in their upcoming successes that he knows must be coming because of how smart and talented they've shown themselves to be, they're still more responsible than a more arrogant person might give them credit for.

When he'd been younger (and frankly, even now, mostly because people tend to think he's younger), Reid had been faced with a great deal of doubt, particularly because of his age when he'd first joined the FBI. An agent that young had been unheard of at the time, and he knows allowances had been made for him to get accepted, but he'd felt he'd earned. Some others hadn't, and it'd forced Reid to do his best to prove his worth. Gideon had always introduced him as Doctor Spencer Reid rather than Agent and for far too long, Reid hadn't quite understood why. He knows he still doesn't really look the part, with his mismatched socks and messy hair and Chucks, but he's content with the fact that he earns the looks of surprise he always gets when he points out the unseen in any given case.

The only reason he'd had the chance to do that, though, is because he'd had support. Whether or not he's a suitable role model for the people in this room isn't necessarily his concern. What he wants to do, even if this is a goal kept solely to himself, is make sure to be there if Alec, Peter, Jason, anyone needs him. They've become like family to him, and it's alright if they don't feel the same way but much like for his BAU teammates, Reid would go to great lengths to ensure the protection of the people in this room. Luke is no exception, of course, and he shifts a little so he can better face his boyfriend with a thoughtful expression. He'd do anything for Luke, this friend he's grown to fall so deeply in love with, and knowing that Luke loves him, too, will never stop warming him to his core. If it does, he'll know something has gone terribly wrong because he's never felt like this before, and he's no intention of letting this man slip through his fingers.

"I can be patient," he says, nodding as if that alone is enough affirmation. "I'm not going to drag you down the hall with everyone still gathered in the living room, anyway, so you don't have anything to worry about." It wouldn't be the first time he's done that but then again, they've always been alone. Still, considering he hadn't been sexually active in close to eight years when their physical relationship had begun, Reid doesn't think it's entirely unfair that he's so regularly eager to get back into bed with Luke more often than not.

With the corners of his lips curling up in a cheeky smirk, he glances at their guests. "Maybe they should all put that on their list of things to be thankful for."

"Oh, no. Absolutely not. If anyone gets too drunk, I'm throwing them out into the street," Luke says without any conviction at all and he's sure Reid knows he's being a complete liar when he says something like that. Not only would he put any of these people to bed carefully, he'd make sure to turn them on their side, leave advil and water by the bed and a bucket just in case they felt the need to be sick. And he'd be in there every few hours to make sure they were okay, which all adds up to being able to spend less time focusing on Reid, which isn't what he wants. Not tonight or any night. He wants to be able to spend the rest of the evening with his boyfriend and both of them know he won't be able to do that if he's worried about others. And it's not possible for Luke to not worry. By his nature, he's always worried about others and while Clary isn't here for him to worry about, there's Alec and Hild, people like Peter and Jason who he's perhaps only just met, but he's willing to reach out to all the same.

He doesn't really think it's a concern, though. None of them have shown signs of excessive drinking with the exception, perhaps, of Hild, but she can also handle her alcohol better than anyone Luke has ever seen. He's concerned about her for other reasons not even remotely related to the wine. There are times when he wonders if his own ease at dealing with the things he'd seen has to do with the fact that he's focusing his concern on others. If perhaps he's not waking up from nightmares of Valentine killing Clary because he's been concentrating on Reid and the way in which he sometimes starts awake. It might not be the healthiest way of dealing with what's happened, but it seems to be working at the moment. Luke understands it wasn't Clary he was seeing, he understands it wasn't Valentine whose throat he tore out, but even if it had been, he wouldn't have felt any guilt. Valentine destroyed his life, he tried to take away every person Luke has ever loved. He got what he deserved.

"I suppose we're both old enough that we've learned a little patience," he agrees with a chuckle, squeezing Reid's hand again. Luke isn't entirely sure it has anything to do with age, he's always been relatively patient, happy enough to just wait for something to happen than to make any move toward it too soon. It's probably what's led him to more than one uncomfortable situation, it's at least a small part of why Jocelyn hadn't known until far too late how he felt about her, but try as he might, he seems to have lost the ability to regret the things he'd done there, too. Magnus has told him she's fine, that she's awake, and so long as she's okay and healthy and alive, then Luke is happy. She deserves a good life and he hopes she's able to find that now.

"They should all be extremely thankful we're not more obnoxious," he adds, nodding. "Most new couples are all over each other at this stage of the relationship." Which isn't to say he and Reid aren't all over one another, but they tend to leave it to the more acceptable moments, the thing Alec had caught them kissing not withstanding. "They should be thankful we're tired old men who would never sneak off to the kitchen under the pretence of getting the pies ready for dessert so they can make out a little instead, right?"

Reid narrows his eyes at that, lifting his chin as if he's taking a moment to think about it before breaking into a cheeky grin. "Yes, we're a very decrepit pair, which is definitely we'd need each other's support in getting to said kitchen so we can do old man things with more coffee and pie and absolutely no funny business while we're at it."

He pushes himself up from the couch then, holding his hand out for Luke to take so he can tug his boyfriend past their guests, offering smiles as they pass without stopping to make conversation because there are more important matters at hand right now. Those matters include stealing kisses from his boyfriend in their own home, lest they scandalize all the other people here who are mostly half their age; and really, it's not the age that matters because everyone in that other room is an adult, but they aren't peers. He remembers how awkward it'd been for Alec to walk in on them in the bookstore and while there'd been other circumstances at play there, Reid still isn't interested in reenacting that moment. At least from the kitchen, they can be more aware of whether someone's coming.

Wrapping his arms around Luke's waist, he continues backwards into the kitchen until his back hits the counter, and he tilts his head with a challenging arch of his brow. "So now we've spared them," Reid says, pressing a kiss to the edge of Luke's jawline, "what do you think we've got, about five minutes? Ten max before anyone manages to notice we've gone rogue?"

The trail of kisses move downward until his lips are following the curve of his boyfriend's cheek, soft and easy pecks that he doesn't let up on until he reaches Luke's mouth. Pulling away just slightly, Reid lets out a low laugh that sounds from deep within his throat, his nose twitching in amusement. Never has he been so eager just to touch someone before Luke, to maintain that physical contact as often as he can, and he wonders if it would come as surprise to his teammates to see him like this. It would have to, he imagines, especially because his last relationship had been with a woman he'd never even met.

When he's with Luke, though, they tend to gravitate back toward each other, whether it's to hold hands or bump shoulders, the need to be touching is always there. Reid loves Luke with all his heart, yes, but he also feels something primal, something that can't quite be sated, and he likes that. He likes feeling like he can never get enough, like he's being kept wanting. It only makes the anticipation between the moments they can be alone again all the more exciting.

"Ten minutes max," Luke murmurs, tilting his head slightly to give Reid better access to his jaw. His arms are around him and he has Reid pressed up against the counter now. There are pies on the table and pies just to his right and he hadn't been entirely joking that they should at least begin to prepare them while they're in here, but that can wait. Everything can wait, as far as he's concerned, when he has Reid's lips against his skin, their arms around each other and their bodies pressed close together. It's not as if Luke is a stranger to the feeling of wanting someone and being wanted in return, but he knows for a fact it's never been like this. There are so many differences between Reid and the last person he was in a relationship with, not the least of which is the fact that he's a man, but it's more than than, too. It's the sense of being involved in something deeper and more important than he's ever been involved in before and knowing he isn't in it alone. Knowing everything he feels for Reid is being returned to him without question. Knowing he's not only wanted, but loved.

It all adds up to something rather spectacular and Luke knows he's lucky to be a part of it.

"I think we can make good use of those ten minutes, though," he murmurs, leaning in for another kiss when Reid pulls back a little. It's sort of a surreal experience sometimes, being here in this situation where he can actually lean forward and kiss his boyfriend, where there's nothing standing in their way, nothing to make either of them feel as if they can't have everything. Outside the kitchen there are people who care about them, people they've both come to think of as family in their own way, and he can't even begin to count all the ways in which they're both lucky and all the things he's become extremely grateful for. Recounting them can wait, however, because right now he's focused on getting both his hands up under the edge of Reid's shirt, sliding his his warm fingers across the small of Reid's back. It would be inappropriate to make too much of a ruckus in here, but he thinks it might not be so terrible if they return to the dinner a little disheveled. If anyone notices, he'll say there was an incident with the pies.

His lips move to the side of Reid's mouth, his teeth graze his lower lip, and then Luke is kissing lower, the edge of his jaw, then the side of his throat. As always, it's with his lips and nose closer to Reid's throat that his scent in strongest and Luke inhales deeply, his eyes closing with pleasure. If anyone were to walk into the kitchen now, there would be no hiding what they're doing, and he can only hope if someone does accidentally burst in on them, it's not Alec. He's already had his fair share of witnessing the two of them kissing.

The noise that escapes him is caught between a moan and a whimper, and Reid can't help but be thankful that the only person in this apartment who has heightened hearing is the man who's responsible for that very noise. It's not as if he isn't regularly on alert when they're not together, Reid often has as many of his senses working for him as he can when he's out, just in general. It keeps his observational skills polished, allows him to maintain excellent attention to detail, and he needs that, especially in Darrow, where the number and severity of cases aren't nearly as high as he'd seen in his own world. That's a good thing, he reminds himself, those are the kinds of numbers the Darrow PD wants to see; but that also makes it all the easier to lose himself to distraction.

Luke Garroway, for example, is an enormous distraction.

When Luke is touching him likes this, fingertips brushing lightly over his sensitive skin and lips pressing against his throat, Reid feels like everything is enhanced in some way, as if his boyfriend is leaving a trail of sparks as he makes his way down the length of Reid's neck. A shiver shoots up his spine, leaving a pleasant tingling sensation behind as his knees buckle a little against the counter, and he can't help but laugh. Nothing's funny and yet, everything is, because this isn't a side of himself that Reid had even known existed.

He'd been capable of loving someone, he'd been aware of that much. He's capable of lusting after someone, of feeling pleasure when being touched by the right person, of craving someone's presence; but to belong to someone like he does to Luke, that's new. Nobody else will ever elicit this kind of reaction out of him. In fact, if he has his way, nobody else will ever have the chance to lay their hands on him like this, and even if Darrow does tear them apart, Reid knows his heart will always be with Luke. They make the kinds of promises each other that people in this city probably shouldn't, but neither of them care. Neither of them want to acknowledge the boundaries that exist because that means they can't be free with each other; and Reid has never felt freer in his life.

"We're very, very bad hosts," he murmurs, grinning against Luke's cheek before pressing a kiss to it. He rolls his hips against his boyfriend's to make his point, letting out a low and exceptionally indecent chuckle. "But then again, I suppose we've already scarred one of our dear friends out there; what's another, in the grand scheme of things? Sometimes sacrifices just have to be made for the greater good."

"No, we're not. We're very, very good hosts," Luke insists, pushing back against Reid's body, fitting them together, and he's never been quite entirely surprised by how easy that is, how simply they just fit. They're the same height, though not quite of the same build, and still they fit together in a way Luke knows for certain he's never experienced. Even so, even having never felt this way before, it doesn't shock him exactly, not when it comes to Reid. Right from the first day they'd met, he'd felt an odd sort of kinship with the other man. They'd fallen into relatively easy conversation despite the fact that Reid had only just arrived in Darrow and although Luke has never been particularly uncomfortable around people, there had been something different about Reid right from the start. All he had known was that he wanted to spend more time with him, whatever they meant and in whatever form it took. He wanted to be around him, talk to him, see him, and when it had seemed like, at the very least, his need for friendship had been returned, Luke had decided to be satisfied with them.

But even when they'd fit together in a way that had felt like so much more, even if neither of them had been able to find the words to explain it. The night at the amusement park had been something of a turning point for Luke, when he had realized that he truly would be able to trust Reid with anything. When this man who had no reason to listen to him or believe him or not just run from the sight of his teeth and claws, had instead given him the benefit of the doubt and the chance to explain, Luke had known there was something bigger there than just simple friendship. There had been an understanding, something that he suspected at the time meant more to him than it did to Reid.

When it had turned out he'd been wrong about that, when it had turned out that Reid's feelings were the same as his own, Luke hadn't been able to do anything but kiss him. Part of that had been the full moon, of that he has no doubt, but he knows it's more than that, too. There's been that sense of connection, of fitting long before that night and he'd needed so desperately to see it through, to know for certain that he was right about it. And he had been.

Like now, with his arms around Reid and their bodies fit closely together, he'd felt a sense of comfort, like he was exactly where he was meant to be. Grinning, he presses quick kisses to Reid's cheek before finding his mouth again, sinking into the kiss and pressing him harder against the counter for at least another moment or two. There are pies to serve and guests to pay attention to and given that it's Thanksgiving, Luke would be remiss in not acknowledging that he's thankful for each and every one of the people in the other room, but the one he's most thankful for, the person who's given him the most, it's the one who's pinned between his body and the counter right now.

"We're good hosts because we're not traumatizing anyone with this display," he murmurs against Reid's mouth. "They should be thanking us for having the decency to hide in here."

Letting out a low hum of agreement, Reid deepens the kiss, and it occurs to him that he may very well never stop being amazed by what he's capable of when he's with Luke. Together, they've not only overcome some of their deepest fears and been through the sort of trauma most people will never see in their lifetimes, but they're getting past that. It'll take some time yet for Reid to stop hearing his mom's words ringing through his mind, to erase the image of that awful smirk on Maeve's face, and to remind himself that being tempted by the Dilaudid Tobias had offered in that world isn't the same as actually taking it; but he thinks about it less and less as the days go by, and he has someone to help him do it. Moving on is easier with Luke by his side. Everything is easier, it seems.

Even this, making out like they're not both well into their thirties with the ability to practice some semblance of self-control, it's so unlike anything he would have imagined for himself. It's not just being here with his boyfriend, it's knowing that there's a group of people in their living room, any one of which could walk in here at any moment, and simply not caring because the benefits outweigh the risks. If they're caught, they're caught, and Reid doesn't think either one of them will feel anything close to shame because this is their home. They're in love, showing just how thankful they are for each other, and he's more than happy to continue on like this until they agree it's probably time to return to their guests.

The problem is, if Reid has a choice, he's not going to want to stop. Not so much a problem, he supposes, but Luke had been right when he'd said this isn't like Halloween. They can't just see people out and lock the door behind them because chances are, their friends will be here for a good stretch of the evening. Reid has no complaints about that, of course, he's so pleased to see the people they care about looking as happy as they do, considering what a majority of them have been through. Having each other to lean on is a gift that Reid doesn't take for granted, and he hopes he's able to display that well enough this evening; but until they're back out there to spend more time mingling, he intends on making it very clear to Luke that there's nothing he's more grateful for than this relationship. Than finding someone who makes him feel like he can be himself every second of the day without feeling judged in any way.

That's a valuable thing, and Reid knows just how aware of that Luke is. There's no lack of trust between them, their bond had been in place well before they'd shared their first kiss, and it's only grown. Every relationship is sure to have its ups and downs, they can't possibly agree on everything, but Reid isn't afraid of the day they inevitably have their first fight. He isn't afraid because he knows ultimately, they'll get through it. They'll always remember that this is what's important, this genuine love and connection. Nothing else will matter in the face of that.

Pulling away just slightly, Reid meets Luke's eyes, smiling softly as he takes a moment to gaze at how utterly beautiful his boyfriend is. With a quiet sigh, he presses another kiss to Luke's lips, shaking his head as he does. "I would challenge anyone in the other room to suggest they're luckier than I am," he says. "Every single one of them would lose."

Edited 2015-12-01 03:47 (UTC)

"I don't know, I imagine I could give you a fairly good run for your money when it comes to luck," Luke answers, lifting both hands to cup either side of Reid's face for one more long, slow kiss. They've nearly used up all of their ten minutes and while he thinks they might be able to get away with staying in here a little while longer, he knows with every minute that passes, their risk of being caught increases. It isn't as though they're doing anything particularly indecent, but he has a terrible feeling that with their luck it's going to be Alec who walks in on them again. Or maybe that's more of a commentary on Alec's luck, but whatever the case, Luke thinks he'd rather spare him that experience all over again. At least this time he's aware of what he might be walking into.

"Are we going to fight about that?" he asks with a grin, taking a step away so that he might actually make a real effort toward going back into the other room with some of the pies. Crossing the kitchen, he reaches for one of the cupboards and begins to unload the small dessert plates he'd bought weeks ago in preparation for this very event. The forks are in the drawer directly behind Reid, the one he's still leaning against, and Luke looks forward for a moment, still fighting his smile, then decides to get the knives they'll use to cut the pies first, which are in the knife beside the kitchen and a fairly safe distance away from his boyfriend and the ass Luke might be unable to keep himself from laying his hands on if he gets that close again. "We could argue about which of us is the luckier one and see who comes out on top. And then use it later to decide which of us really comes out on top."

He says it in a low, conversational tone, as if he'd speak about this with anyone, slowly unloading knives from the drawer beside the sink and placing them on the counter to cut the pies. It's a tease more than anything and it's just another added layer to their relationship that he enjoys more than he'd ever imagined he might, simply because he hadn't imagined it at all. Being able to so casually tease someone in this manner, playfully, flirtatiously, it's all so new to him, so unexpected. Luke doesn't think he's ever going to stop enjoying the chance to find opportunities like this one, moments when he can say something others might not expect of him, the sort of thing they'll never even hear, because he's found the one person he really wants to spend his life with.

"You're going to have to move," he adds a moment later, moving back over to where Reid is standing and reaching around him for the drawer with the forks. "Or put yourself at risk of being thoroughly groped again under the guise of getting the forks for the pie." Which he's doing, he really is, gently moving Reid away from the drawer so he can open it and take out a handful of forks, but he can't seem to help the way his hand slides down over the small of Reid's back, over the curve of his ass, and he smiles, giving a light squeeze before stepping back again. "I did warn you."

He's gripping the counter behind him so tightly that he's sure his knuckles have gone white, but Reid can't seem to force himself to push away from it to help with the pies. There should be a bit of guilt in watching his boyfriend do all the work, grabbing plates and knives that they'll be washing later because nothing in this apartment will be going to waste tonight, but then Luke says that. The worst part (or, perhaps, the best) is how evident it is that his boyfriend's innuendo had been entirely intentional and yet, Reid is somehow supposed to maintain his composure because they have a room full of guests just outside the kitchen.

It calls for a very specific type of revenge, he thinks, but it's just going to have to wait for later. That doesn't mean he can't tease, though. Really, he's just following Luke's lead.

"I think I'd like to make a very concentrated effort to be the one who comes out on top," he says, grinning devilishly at his boyfriend when Luke squeezes his ass. "We can save our fight for something better, don't you think? Let me have this one tonight, I can show you just how thankful I really am." It's more of a promise than anything else, and the effect of this form of revenge is really dampened by the fact that it's actively backfiring on him.

They've yet to switch roles in bed, Luke's consistently been the one on top since the first time they'd been intimate; but they have talked about it, even from that very first night they'd discussed their expectations. It's not something Reid's ever done before and just talking about it makes him a little nervous because he isn't sure he'll be especially good at it but at the same time, just the idea of being buried inside of Luke is arousing in itself. He ducks his head just to avoid gazing at Luke for too long because he knows if he does, he'll be tempted to go right back to kissing him. Right now, with all that's running through his head, that seems like a very imprudent things to do.

"I will always put myself at risk for being groped by you, by the way," Reid adds, finally stepping forward to take the forks from Luke's hand and grab one of the pies. It delights him to be able to say things like this without feeling embarrassed, without feeling like Luke might not respond in kind, but they've found an excellent balance of playfulness in their relationship that Reid is so grateful to have. While they're deeply in love and that's as sincere as it can be, they also know how to have fun together, and Reid hadn't realized how important that really was until he'd been faced with it in this relationship.

"I don't look too disheveled, do I?" he asks, lifting his eyes in a failed effort to see his hair. "Or is it as messy as it always is?"

Edited 2015-12-03 05:59 (UTC)

They're still teasing each other and yet there's something so sweet and so genuine in the way Reid is speaking about showing Luke just how thankful he is that he has to pause and really smile at his boyfriend. This isn't the sort of relationship he's ever had before, which is something he thinks about nearly every day. There are just these moments where he's reminded of how lucky he is, how far he's come, how much things have changed, and he doesn't mind at all, he's never been adverse to change and change like this has been especially welcome, but he has to acknowledge that he's truly new to all of this. The way they interact, the light teasing, the genuine affection under the teasing, it's all new to Luke and he thinks it's mostly new to Reid, too, which makes it all a little more fun to navigate. They're discovering how they fit together, the ways in which they're meant to interact, the ways they'll communicate, and as of right now, he thinks it's all working out rather well for the two of them.

"We can save our fight," he agrees and although he's still making a joke, his voice has gone soft as well. There's just something about the way Reid looks at him, the way they speak to each other, it all makes Luke feel rather important in a way he never has before. Being a Shadowhunter had been a certain level of important, being Valentine's second in command when it came to the Circle had been another thing entirely, being a pack leader had been what Luke still thinks was his most important call to duty, but this is something else. This is being important in a way that doesn't matter to a single person beyond this room and he thinks it's by far the best he's ever felt. Being important to one person, as it turns out, is a lot better than being important to an entire army. It's something Luke realizes he's known for a long time now, that being important in Clary's life had always been better than being a pack leader, but it's only here with Reid that it's really been driven home.

With a smile, he sets aside the knives he'd been preparing to take out into the other room with the pies, and reaches up to smooth his hands over Reid's hair. It doesn't help, it doesn't change anything, but he's always rather liked how his boyfriend's hair curls wildly, without any hope of control. It's effortless, it makes how unbelievably attractive he is seem so simple, and Luke doesn't really know how to say that. He's comfortable with some things -- with telling Reid how much he loves him -- but for some reason it's still difficult to word compliments in a way he likes unless they're in bed together, and then he thinks without speaking. He wants to tell Reid that he's beautiful, that his hair is perfect in the way it's a complete mess, but he only smiles and cups his face again.

"Perfectly disheveled," he says with a smile, then presses another soft kiss to Reid's mouth before he steps back and picks up two of the pies to bring out into the other room. "Shall we? Before the masses start to rebel over the fact that they've yet to be served their promised dessert? I've seen Magnus eyeing the kitchen for the better part of an hour already."

As delightfully fun their teasing always is, Reid loves these quiet, tender moments between them even more. With his teammates at the BAU, he'd been the subject of a lot of teasing it, most of it fond and affectionate so he'd rarely taken offense. The prank wars between him and Morgan had always been something to look forward to, as well, mostly because they'd never failed in finding another way to get a leg up over the other. As he often describes them, the team had been like his family, and as the youngest of that family, he'd grown accustomed to receiving the regular brunt of the jokes.

That's not what it's like with Luke, not at all. While they are playful with each other, it comes from a different place in their hearts. He doesn't tease Luke the way he would have teased Morgan, doesn't joke with him the way he would with Garcia or JJ; everything is on an entirely new level, more balanced and in sync than he's ever been with anyone else.

But this, the way Luke looks at him, the way Luke makes him feel when he looks at him, Reid has absolutely nothing to compare it to, and he finds it pointless to even try. He understands that people are different, that not everyone is interesting in entering into a committed relationship with just one person, but Reid thinks they must never have been look at quite like this. There's a hint of desire there but more than that, there's genuine love, and it threatens to knock Reid to the floor with its sheer force. What they feel for each other, it sometimes almost seems tangible, like Reid could reach out and grasp it in his hands, this connection between them. On a day like this, seeing that look in Luke's eyes somehow seems all the more important, and he huffs a breathless laugh just before Luke kisses him again.

He's not sure how he's supposed to go from this profound gratitude for having his boyfriend in his life to going out to deal with Magnus's fake flirting, but Reid merely nods, unable to even form proper words just yet. As he's following Luke out of the kitchen, earning the approving whoops of more guests who've apparently been patiently waiting for dessert as long as Magnus has, Reid manages to give them all an enormous grin. It's the first Thanksgiving dinner he's had with a family that isn't his team and knowing that every single person is here out of want and not obligation means more to him than he truly knows how to express.

Maybe next year, he'll have figured out how to say it. Maybe by then, he'll have been able to let it process a bit more, this new feeling of having friends who choose to enjoy his company. Until then, he's content to let it be, to simply let the pleasantness of the evening warm him, and he rests a hand against the small of Luke's back as his boyfriend cuts into one of the pies.

"'And suddenly we see,'" he murmurs, barely loud enough so Luke can hear him over the music and chatter behind them, "'that love costs all we are and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free.'" He presses a kiss to Luke's shoulder, ignoring the catcall that surely belongs to Magnus, then smiles up at his boyfriend. "It's true. You have set me free."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[turkey day, nov 21]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject